Ann: Change of Director's Interest Notice, page-20

This was translated from Chinese why some sound funny.

2017-05-11 16:40
Micro Interview: Thomas Gmeiner, Vice President of USound, and Nick Renaud-Bezot, Business Development Manager
USound is a fast-growing audio industry start-up company that leverages MEMS technology to develop and manufacture advanced audio systems for mobile applications. USound developed the technology platform to achieve a new generation of MEMS micro-speaker manufacturing. In Yole's recently published "Acoustics MEMS and Audio Solutions - 2010 Edition" report, USound is expected to reach $ 8.7 billion in major markets, targeting major micro-systems that require a small, balanced and low-power solution The
According to the Mersfield consulting previously reported, USound in January 2017 received a 12 million euros in growth investment. The lead investor is eQventure, an Austrian venture capital firm based in Graz, who also made Hermann Hauser, the founder of ARM, an angel investor in USound. The investment can be regarded as the largest start-up of Austrian start-ups over the years.
2016 Microphone, Micro Speaker and Audio IC Market Size
We are delighted to be able to talk to them again and face up to the latest developments from our last micro-interview with USound for the last nine months ("New revolution in the audio field: MEMS speakers coming to production"). The following is a micro-interview with Mr. Thomas Gmeiner, Vice President of Global Project Management and Business Development, and Nick Renaud-Bezot, Business Development Manager, USound.
Yole Développement (hereinafter referred to as YD): Since our last year's micro-interview in June, your company has made the latest progress?
USound: This year we focused on two types of products: InSound for ear applications, and NearSound for ear applications. InSound has the same appearance as the traditional balanced armature receiver, but solves the common problems associated with the latter, such as high cost, product differentiation, and drop test reliability. NearSound for the handset and headset applications, for such applications to provide better sound quality. Since our last micro-interview, we have improved MEMS chips and packages for Moon (InSound) and Ganymede (NearSound) products, and are currently expanding production. For both products, the sound output has been improved, reducing the distortion.
YD: How to define a good speaker?
USound: the merits of the speaker depends on the application, each product developers will seek its unique sound characteristics. For Moon, we decided to use the entire bandwidth (currently 10Hz ~ 16kHz) smooth output, as far as possible for the potential market. This allows us to shape different sound characteristics by filtering (passive or digital signal processor-based DSPs) to meet the requirements of a variety of different target applications.In particular, we have endeavored to reproduce the graceful sound quality of Dr. Sean Olive of Harman (well-known audio maker) last year at AES (International Symposium on Electro-acoustic Technology), which is considered to be an ideal headphone acoustic feature The
YD: MEMS speakers compared to the traditional speakers, the typical power consumption?
USound: Piezoelectric device in its operating range (in fact up to 2MHz) is a pure capacitor.This means that its power consumption is purely passive and therefore not comparable to standard loudspeakers (resistive loads). We have selected several commercially available amplifiers that are compatible with our MEMS speakers. Plus these amplifiers, audio chains (amplifiers and MEMS loudspeakers) consume a lot of power compared to traditional power speakers. We have also developed our own ASIC prototype products that will use energy recovery to significantly reduce the power consumption of the audio chain (expected to reduce energy consumption by 50%).
YD: How will the PZT layer (piezoelectric ceramic layer) change over time? It is reported that the manufacture of piezoelectric materials is more difficult, in your opinion, its manufacturing is the most critical step is what?
USound: PZT layer reliability has always been one of the most critical development priorities.At the beginning of our technology development, MEMS chips passed 5 billion times the full cruise running test, without significant performance degradation. The test is equivalent to continuous full power run for 60 days, which for consumer applications has been reliable enough.
The manufacture of PZT does have an impact on the reliability of the PZT layer and is therefore critical. We work with foundry partners to develop processes that meet our goals and benefit from their technical experience in expanding production to help our technology succeed in commercializing.
YD: How do you evaluate the performance of MEMS speakers? Who are you willing to work with in this respect?
USound: Typical tests typically begin with SPL (Sound Pressure Level) and THD (Total Harmonic Distortion) for the entire product bandwidth. We have worked with our equipment partners to develop ATE (Automated Test Equipment) to achieve large-scale testing of the MEMS industry. The platform will be implemented by our OSAT (Outsourcing Semiconductor Packaging Test) supplier to efficiently boost production.
YD: How about your MEMS speakers in terms of dynamic range and distortion?
USound: Thanks to the light weight of the actuator, the distortion of our MEMS speakers from low to wide bandwidth is low. For example, for Moon, we have very close to the target from THHz less than 2% from 10Hz to 16kHz.
YD: Last time, you talked about the separation of the vibrating structure and the diaphragm, the ability to amplify the sound waves, greatly simplifies the package structure and the integration of the drive within the package. Can you provide some pictures to show the principle?
USound: This architecture is simplified and can be seen through our InSound product (below).A standard balanced armature receiver often requires the incorporation of complex coils and magnets into its back cavity (which can lead to waste of space) and is completely vacant in our product (and thus improves acoustic performance) , And only a few steps through a simple SMT process can be achieved.
USound in front of the MEMS speaker Moon section view
YD: How does a MEMS speaker save material costs compared to traditional speakers?
USound: We are working to improve the overall cost of the acoustical solution by integrating multiple functions into one device. Our goal is to provide our customers with cost-neutral solutions that can actually reduce at least half the cost of headset applications.
YD: What is the final cost of the solution?
USound: Depending on the size and size of the loudspeaker, the price range for a single device ranges from less than $ 1 to a few dollars.
YD: We see more and more loudspeakers in the market for handheld devices (smartphones, personal voice aids, smart watches, HMDs, etc.). Your company says it's going to first enter a more difficult consumer application market. Have this choice?
USound: MEMS business often requires a large amount of volume to flourish, for MEMS speakers is the same. We started selling products from the consumer, because OEMs also contributed to the decline in smartphone revenue by pushing these products. The revenue generated can support the development of our other categories of products.
YD: With your speakers, you can choose the direction of the choice, please talk about what type of application it may open the market?
USound: One of the important points of interest is the big bandwidth. Our products can be run in the ultrasonic range (we are currently mentioning up to 80kHz). We are investing in R & D to enable it to operate as a speaker and proximity sensor at the same time, which will help the future of smartphone industry design. Other functions are also in the development process, and will be revealed in the next one by one.
YD: in the field of MEMS to create such a business need to put what? What are the important steps taken by the birth of USound?
USound: MEMS development and streaming is a capital-intensive business. Founder by virtue of its expertise in the field to identify the correct application direction and to ensure its patent rights to technology. And then need to verify the concept that the MEMS chip can really produce the desired sound. The third step is to create an acoustic team, and then make the MEMS speakers can make a pleasant sound. We are now in the fourth stage, the product to the market and generate revenue!
YD: now has come to the second quarter of 2017, your implementation of the target how can we introduce the current milestone to achieve it?
USound: A few months have passed, for the new technology into the market is very common, this year, our goal is very good. We are expanding Moon's production, Moon in its wide range of bandwidth, showing a high SPL and low distortion performance.
YD: This year and the next five years, your shipments goal is?
USound: This year, our goal is 1 million Moon, the next five years, we expect to accumulate 500 million shipments.
YD: You recently raised € 12 million and said part of the money will be used to speed up team expansion, and other major uses include
USound: The goal of this financing is to generate revenue. Funds will be used to: build a local sales team to accelerate the application of customers; a variety of products of industrialization; the next generation of product and category development.
YD: USound recently announced the production of STMicroelectronics (STMicroelectronics) production of the world's first MEMS speakers. Can you tell us more about this partnership?What makes you sure of cooperation with STMicroelectronics?
USound: STMicroelectronics is one of the world's most successful piezoelectric MEMS foundries. We have two founders who have worked at STMicroelectronics, so we can understand the culture of STMicroelectronics more deeply, which will help us achieve mass production in the shortest possible time.
YD: Are you still looking for other partners to enrich the manufacturer or supplier?
USound: Our product plans cover a wide range of bands, applications and architectures, so we are working with other foundries, OSAT and integrated vendors to help bring the MEMS revolution into the audio world.