
Bosch buys MEMS micro speaker startup
Sensor maker Bosch Sensortec GmbH has agreed to acquire MEMS micro speaker startup Arioso Systems GmbH (Dresden, Germany) for an undisclosed purchase price.
A spin-off from Fraunhofer IPMS, startup Arioso Systems GmbH completed its first round of financing to launch an innovative silicon-based sound transducer in April 2020 (see MEMS-based loudspeakers startup gets €2.6 million in first round).
Arioso Systems’ audio transducer generates sound through the movement of vertically oriented lamellas inside a silicon chip. Unlike conventional membrane, Arioso Systems technology uses the chip volume rather than surface. Therefore, it is possible to build a miniatured MEMS micro-speaker to generate up to 120dB sound pressure level from 10 square millimeters of active area. Thanks to the electrostatic actuator of all-silicon MEMS and thanks to its low capacitance, the Arioso Systems technology is energy efficient allowing the sensor to extend battery life in hearable devices such as TWS as well as in other wearables devices.
The market for micro speakers is expected to grow from US$9 billion in 2020 to US$11 billion in 2026, according to Yole Developpement, with MEMS micro speakers having a fast-growing share in it.
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MEMS-based loudspeakers startup gets €2.6 million in first round
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