STMicroelectronics and USound Deliver First Advanced MEMS Silicon Micro-Speakers

STMicroelectronics (NYSE:STM) , a global semiconductor leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications, and USound, an innovative and fast-growing audio company, have delivered the first silicon micro-speakers resulting from their technology collaboration announced last year. Engineering samples are now with lead customers, and trade demonstrations will take place during CES^® 2018, in Las Vegas.

These extremely small speakers, expected to be the thinnest in the world and less than half the weight of conventional speakers, enable wearable tech such as earphones, over-the-ear headphones, or Augmented-Reality/Virtual-Reality (AR/VR) headgear to become even more compact and comfortable. Their extremely low power consumption saves extra weight and size by allowing smaller batteries, and unlike conventional speakers they generate negligible heat.

As MEMS (Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems) devices, the speakers are leveraging technology that has already revolutionized the capabilities of smartphones and wearables. High-performing MEMS motion sensors, pressure sensors, and microphones built on silicon chips are the critical enablers for context sensing, navigation, tracking, and other features that mobile users now rely on every day. With MEMS advancements now coming to speakers, designers can further miniaturize the audio subsystem, reduce power consumption, and create innovative features like 3D sound. MEMS-industry analyst Yole Développement values the overall micro-speakers market at $8.7 billion[1] currently, and expects MEMS manufacturers to capture share with silicon-based devices.

“This successful project combines USound’s design flair and ST’s extensive investment in MEMS expertise and processes, including our advanced thin-film piezo technology PεTra (Piezo-electric Transducer),” said Anton Hofmeister, Vice President and GM of MEMS Microactuators Division, STMicroelectronics. “Together, we are winning the race to commercialize MEMS micro-speakers by delivering a more highly miniaturized, efficient, and better-performing solution leveraging the advantages of piezo-actuation.”

“ST has provided the production expertise and manufacturing muscle to realize our original concept as a pace-setting, advanced product ready for consumer-market opportunities,” said Ferruccio Bottoni, CEO of USound. “These tiny speakers are now poised to change the design of audio and hearable products, and open up new opportunities to develop creative audio functionalities.”

In addition to applications in mobiles, audio accessories, and wearables, the new piezo-actuated silicon speakers support innovation in a wide variety of hearable electronics, including home digital assistants, media players, and IoT (Internet-of-Things) devices.

USound will demonstrate prototype AR/VR glasses containing multiple MEMS speakers per side, to invited guests at ST’s private suite during CES 2018. The demo will leverage the speakers’ ultra-thin form factor, low weight, and high sound quality to show how miniaturized audio systems can deliver outstanding experiences, and advanced features such as beam forming for private audio, within the extremely tight size, weight, and power constraints imposed by glasses and other wearables.

Notes for Editors:
The advanced MEMS micro-speakers feature a piezo-electric actuator that deflects in response to analog audio signals. Taking advantage of this phenomenon presents an alternative to the conventional electro-mechanical speaker; the MEMS micro-speakers are fabricated completely on silicon and therefore simpler, more reliable, and more economical in high volumes. The new devices also eliminate the usual trade-offs between magnet size, air volume, and sound quality that complicate both the design and integration of traditional, conventional electro-mechanical miniature speakers that contain a magnet and balanced-armature mechanism.

USound’s patented concept for these speakers leverages piezo-electric material properties to drive the speaker membrane, which eliminates the complex signal processing required in other types of MEMS micro speakers. The piezo actuator allows an extremely small speaker footprint and low profile, with outstanding power efficiency and fast response for high acoustic performance.

ST’s MEMS device-design competencies and manufacturing capabilities, including PεTra Thin-Film-Piezoelectric technology, enables the advanced speakers to be produced cost-effectively in high volumes and at high yield on silicon wafers, leveraging mature and well-characterized processes that are closely related to CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor) chip fabrication.

CES^® is a registered trademark of the Consumer Technology Association

About STMicroelectronics
ST is a global semiconductor leader delivering intelligent and energy-efficient products and solutions that power the electronics at the heart of everyday life. ST’s products are found everywhere today, and together with our customers, we are enabling smarter driving and smarter factories, cities and homes, along with the next generation of mobile and Internet of Things devices.

By getting more from technology to get more from life, ST stands for life.augmented.

In 2016, the Company’s net revenues were $6.97 billion, serving more than 100,000 customers worldwide. Further information can be found at www.st.com

About USound
USound is a fast-growing audio company, developing and producing the most-advanced audio systems for personal applications based on MEMS technology. As a fabless company, process R&D and manufacturing operations are outsourced to world-class industrial partners. USound holds more than 50 MEMS audio patents.

^[1] https://www.i-micronews.com/mems-sensors/9450-the-audio-world-has-stepped-into-another-dimension.html