MENU

Ceva buys spatial audio tech for hearables

Ceva buys spatial audio tech for hearables

Business news |
By Nick Flaherty



Ceva has acquired the RealSpace 3D Spatial Audio business, technology and patents from partner VisiSonics.

Based in Maryland, close to CEVA’s sensor fusion R&D development centre, the VisiSonics spatial audio R&D team had been working with Ceva on hearables, where spatial audio is fast becoming a key feature.

Integrating VisiSonics’ spatial audio software with Ceva’s MotionEngine sensor fusion software provides a complete spatial audio system with dynamic head tracking. This can be implemented directly on headphones or earbuds, as it is available as an embedded library for use on wireless audio SoCs, and is already ported to both DSPs and Arm Cortex-M class MCUs.

This gives OEMs and semiconductor companies a simple way to incorporate spatial audio with precise head tracking with low power and minimal system requirements.

The deal also extends Ceva’s application software portfolio for other embedded systems such as gaming, AR/VR, audio conferencing, healthcare, automotive and media entertainment. 

RealSpace spatial audio rendering software provides the most accurate digital simulation of real-life, immersive sound in the industry. Its proprietary algorithms create a realistic aural experience through as little as two-channel stereo audio while supporting full multi-channel and ambisonics.

Dynamic head tracking makes the user experience more immersive, as the sound sources are held stationary while the users head is moving, simulating listening experiences in the real world. This allows the user to experience theatre-like sound through headphones or earbuds when watching movies, playing video games or listening to music, podcasts or conference calls.

“The acquisition of the VisiSonics’ spatial audio software and business builds on an already strong relationship and allows us to better serve OEMs who wish to enhance the audio experience of their products with a best-in-class immersive spatial audio solution with such world-class providers as THX,” said Amir Panush, CEO of Ceva.

“The software is market-proven with industry leaders in gaming and hearables and presents us with an opportunity to expand our customer base by delivering on the true potential of this technology, including entry into the burgeoning consumer IoT and automotive markets.”

Ramani Duraiswami, founder and Chief Executive Officer of VisiSonics, said: “For more than a decade, we have pushed the boundaries of innovation in the areas of capture, rendering, and personalizing spatial audio to create our spatial audio software. Now as spatial audio is set to become mainstream, Ceva is the right company to take our technology forward and fully exploit its potential through their global presence and synergistic technologies, and with key partners like THX Ltd.”

VisiSonics’ partner THX has used this technology in its tools for game developers and music producers, and in advanced THX audio personalization for headset manufacturers. Also, Ceva and VisiSonics collaborated to bring the complete RealSpace spatial audio solution to boAt, India’s leading hearable and wearables company for the boAt Nirvana Eutopia headset.

“We have enjoyed a successful relationship with the VisiSonics 3D spatial audio team, incorporating their leading-edge software into our spatial audio solutions for gaming, music, and hearables,” said Jason Fiber, CEO of THX. “CEVA is an ideal company to work with THX to take spatial audio solutions to the next level given its synergistic voice, audio and sensor fusion solutions and embedded systems expertise. I look forward to working with Ceva to create further enhanced entertainment experiences for our customers.”

www.ceva-dsp.com/product/ceva-realspace; www.THX.com

 

If you enjoyed this article, you will like the following ones: don't miss them by subscribing to :    eeNews on Google News

Share:

Linked Articles
10s