Syntiant and Sensory to Deliver First Ultra-Low-Power Multi-Language Voice Solution at the Edge

Combined AI Technologies Can Support Local Commands in Dozens of Languages; Demos Held at CES 2020


Syntiant, the award-winning AI semiconductor start-up providing intelligent voice solutions at the edge, today announced a partnership with Sensory Inc., AI and speech recognition pioneer, to deliver a deep learning, multi-lingual voice interface for battery-powered devices.

The combined solution merges Sensory’s larger, higher-performance TrulyHandsfree™ wake word engine and voice control with Syntiant’s microwatt-power Neural Decision Processors™ (NDPs), bringing low-latency, real-time inference to edge devices, enabling consumers to seamlessly “voice” commands in dozens of languages. Working together, the two technologies could also support additional features, such as voice-based user identification.

“A busy mom in Korea setting a house alarm or teenager in Barcelona raising the volume on his smart speaker, voice commands are becoming more ubiquitous driven by worldwide consumer demand,” said Kurt Busch, CEO of Syntiant. “Collaborating with Sensory allows us to combine their AI with our silicon technology, providing customers a large multi-language library of local commands for just about any application.”

Syntiant and Sensory are accelerating the delivery of a fast, efficient, cloud-free multi-language interface in devices, such as earbuds, smart speakers and smartphones, at a power level orders of magnitude lower than typical MCU offerings.   

Custom built to run neural workloads, the Syntiant® NDP100™ and NDP101™ NDPs can support dozens of local voice commands and consume less than 140 microwatts while performing local processing of audio events, increasing privacy, reliability and responsiveness. In addition to voice triggers, other device capabilities include audio event and environment classification, as well as sensor analytics.

“Sensory’s embedded AI voice software combined with Syntiant’s neural network technology opens up a new market for both companies, bringing ultra-low-power, multi-language, local command support to the edge,” said Todd Mozer, Sensory’s CEO. “Our joint solution provides added security because commands are performed at the edge, free from a cloud connection, while devices and applications come alive without pushing a button.”

Sensory is focused on improving user experiences through embedded machine learning technologies such as voice, vision and natural language processing. The company pioneered the use of neural network approaches for embedded speech recognition for consumer electronics with a well-engineered and patented codebase that has shipped in over 2 billion consumer products.

Syntiant will demo the combined technologies at the Bosch Global booth (LVCC, Central Hall – 12401) during CES 2020 in Las Vegas. Sensory is available by appointment at CES.

About Syntiant
Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Irvine, Calif., Syntiant Corp. is moving artificial intelligence and machine learning from the cloud to edge devices. Syntiant’s advanced chip solutions merge deep learning with semiconductor design to produce ultra-low-power, high performance, deep neural network processors for always-on applications in battery-powered devices, ranging from hearing aids to smart speakers and mobile phones. The company is backed by some of the world’s strongest strategic investors, including Intel Capital, Microsoft M12, Bosch Ventures and the Amazon Alexa Fund. More information on the company can be found by visiting www.syntiant.com or by following Syntiant on Twitter @Syntiantcorp.

About Sensory
Sensory Inc. creates a safer and superior UX through vision and voice technologies. Sensory’s technologies are widely deployed in consumer electronics applications including mobile phones, automotive, wearables, toys, IoT and various home electronics. With its TrulyHandsfree™ voice control, Sensory has set the standard for mobile handset platforms’ ultra-low power “always listening” touchless control. To date, Sensory’s technologies have shipped in over a billion units of leading consumer products. For more information about this announcement, Sensory or its technologies, visit https://www.sensory.com/, contact sales@sensory.com or for press inquiries contact press@sensory.com.

For more information, contact:

Syntiant
George Medici
PondelWilkinson Inc
Gmedici@pondel.com
(310) 279-5968

Sensory
Michael A. Farino
New Era Communications Services
sensory@newerapr.com
(949) 346-1984