"Alexa, get me an SDK"

Symmetry Electronics, a global distributor of wireless, IoT and video technologies, today announced the available distribution of DSP Group’s HDClear 3-Mic Development Kit for Amazon Alexa Voice Service (AVS). The HDClear 3-Mic Development Kit for Amazon AVS enables OEMs to integrate Amazon Alexa into a number of IoT products, including smart speakers, smart home devices, wearable devices, and remote sensors. Symmetry is stocking, selling and supporting the HDClear 3-Mic Development Kit for its global customer base, available for purchase here.

DSP Group is a leading global provider of wireless chipset solutions for converged communications. Their newest product, the HDClear 3-Mic Development Kit for Amazon AVS, includes their DMBD5 audio processor, a Raspberry Pi and a microphone array. OEMs can incorporate this reference design into their applications for hands-free device control, voice user interface (VUI) interactions, smart home control and additional features supported by Amazon AVS.

As a member of the TTI Semiconductor Group., Symmetry Electronics specializes in wireless, IoT and video technologies, providing OEMs with a focused and curated line card. In addition to the distribution of the HDClear 3-Mic Development Kit for Amazon AVS, Symmetry Electronics also provides technical expertise and support through Symmetry’s team of trained applications engineers. Engineers looking for assistance on designing their Alexa-enabled device can contact a Symmetry applications engineer free of charge throughout the design cycle.

“Hands-free voice control and voice services are being integrated into many applications. This new kit from DSP Group provides a low-power, scalable and cost-efficient solution for implementing Amazon AVS support,” said David Beck, vice president of marketing, Symmetry Electronics. “We are extremely excited to offer this kit to our customers. The technology in this product will enable companies to push the limits of voice-enabled devices in IoT.”

“We are excited to partner with Symmetry to further extend our worldwide distribution network and reach more customers needing innovative semiconductor solutions, such as our recently launched HDClear 3-Mic Amazon Alexa kit, to augment their products,” commented Sai Yelisetty, VP US Sales, DSP Group. “The voice enhancement technology integrated in our HDClear 3-Mic Development Kit for Amazon AVS actively listens for voice commands and accurately processes incoming audio to deliver a superior user experience by for Amazon AVS devices We believe this combination will play an instrumental role in the evolution of VUIs.”

The DBMD5 audio processor featured in the HDClear 3-Mic Development Kit for Amazon AVS is a completely autonomous, audio-centric processing solution that enables any microphone-equipped device to continuously monitor for voice trigger and process voice commands. It also supports advanced voice features that allow the device to facilitate voice calls. When integrated in smart speakers and IoT devices, the DBMD5 leverages its voice enhancement algorithms to achieve more effective isolation of voice from surrounding noise, providing effective voice gestures in almost any environment.

Key benefits of the HDClear 3-Mic Development Kit for Amazon AVS include:

High-Performance Voice Enhancement Capabilities – sophisticated voice algorithms including acoustic echo cancellation, noise reduction, beamforming and far-field enhancement, significantly improve the user experience and the accuracy of voice commands, particularly in high-noise environments. Without these algorithms, devices with closely coupled speakers and microphones would be inadequate for voice functions.
Barge-In – enables detection of voice commands when audio, including music, is played by the device.
Seamless Operation with Amazon AVS – supports detection of Alexa wake word and integration of AVS SDK to ensure seamless operation with AVS.
Advanced Audio SoC – embedded programmable dual-core digital signal processor (DSP) supports digital and analog microphones and incorporates various application processor interfaces such as SPI, I2C, UART and SLIMbus.
Low-Power Consumption – power-optimized implementation for always-on IoT devices allows power-hungry application processors to remain in sleep mode during voice sensing, and enables battery-powered devices to access Alexa. Supports power consumption well below 1mA for Alexa wake-word detection.
Far-Field Enhancement – high performance using 3 mics, allowing flexibility for up to 360-degree voice coverage.
Local Detection of Alexa – enables low power detection and integration in IoT devices with small amounts of memory for wake-word detection.
Fast Time to Market – complete suite of host processor/communications processor/MCU software drivers enables rapid development.
Scalable – software configuration supports various types of smart speakers, wearable computing devices, smart home devices, remote controls, IoT devices and more, accommodating different requirements for microphones, speakers, audio flow toward the speaker(s), audio flow from the microphones, and acoustic designs.