Syntiant Announces Voice-Enabled Ultra-Low-Power Reference Design for TWS Earbud Applications

Multi-Lingual Custom Wake Words and Speech Commands Supported by Data Training and Modeling, Providing a Complete, End-to-End Solution for Edge AI Processing

Irvine, Calif., January 6, 2022 – Syntiant Corp., a provider of deep learning solutions making edge AI a reality for always-on applications, today announced a new reference design that will enable ODMs and OEMs to easily and quickly deploy ultra-low-power, edge AI voice processing applications in true wireless earbuds.

Packaged with the tiny (1.4 mm x 1.8 mm) Syntiant® NDP100, the ultra-low-power wireless earbud reference design enables always-on AI voice processing at under 140 microwatts, delivering 100x more efficiency and 10x the throughput compared to traditional MCU-based systems. With custom wake word support including “Hey Google” and “Alexa,” as well as compatibility with other voice assistant ecosystems and in multiple languages including Mandarin and Cantonese, the NDP100 enables hands-free control of local speech commands, such as playing music or operating a mobile phone.

“We continue to see an increase in demand for voice functionality as people rather use hands-free speech to control their devices,” said Kurt Busch, CEO of Syntiant. “Our edge AI reference design brings a highly accurate voice interface to earbuds that is more efficient and consumes minimal power, while also providing the data, machine learning training and support, giving manufacturers a complete end-to-end solution for easy deployment in any country and in any language.”

Syntiant’s edge-optimized training pipeline enables ODMs to quickly build neural networks for a variety of always-on voice, sensor and image applications, providing customers with low-cost, turn-key solutions that put deep learning processing into almost any edge device, free from cloud connectivity, ensuring privacy and security. The company’s data platform is designed to ingest data from crowdsourced or proprietary sources, expand the data set with synthetic data generation and produce high quality datasets for training.

“Wondersound is one of the first companies to develop TWS earphones in China with a broad patent portfolio in the design, R&D and manufacturing of audio and wearable products,” said Paul Xia, CEO of Shenzhen Wondersound Technology, a Shenzhen-based ODM that has introduced hearables for leading consumer companies and brands including Anker, Baidu, boAt, Noise and OnePlus. “Syntiant’s ultra-low-power reference design with data and training support and multilingual voice compatibility not only enables us to continue to deliver pioneering products in hearable technology across China and overseas markets, but also to do it quickly and at less cost.”

The TWS earbud reference design is available now. Contact info@syntiant.com for pricing and more information.

About Syntiant

Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Irvine, Calif., Syntiant Corp. is a leader in delivering end-to-end deep learning solutions for always-on applications by combining purpose-built silicon with an edge-optimized data platform and training pipeline. Syntiant’s advanced chip solutions merge deep learning with semiconductor design to produce ultra-low-power, high performance, deep neural network processors for edge AI applications across a wide range of consumer and industrial use cases, from earbuds to automobiles. The company is backed by several of the world’s leading strategic and financial investors including Intel Capital, Microsoft’s M12, Applied Ventures, Robert Bosch Venture Capital, the Amazon Alexa Fund and Atlantic Bridge Capital. Syntiant continues to be recognized as an industry leader, being named to Gartner's April 2020 Cool Vendors in AI Semiconductors; Fast Company’s prestigious list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies for 2020; as well as a CES® 2021 Innovation Awards Honoree and CES® 2020 Best of Innovation Awards Honoree. More information on the company can be found by visiting www.syntiant.com.