Dspfactory's BelaSigna Processors Improve Sound Clarity in Portable Audio Devices

WATERLOO, ONTARIO - Dspfactory Ltd., a provider of open programmable digital signal processing (DSP) technology for hearing aids, headsets, hands-free kits, PDAs, cameras and a range of other portable audio devices, launched the second generation of its BelaSigna chip. BelaSigna improves sound clarity in portable communication devices and now provides twice the processing power on virtually the same power budget with even greater fidelity than its first-generation predecessor. BelaSigna uses proprietary 16-bit analog/digital converters to produce audio while consuming little power. Its patented DSP architecture delivers processing power to remove background noise and improve sound clarity and intelligibility. This capability is all delivered on one compact sub-quarter-micron chip. BelaSigna has a range of applications and has been optimized for use in portable communication devices where high fidelity and processing power are as important as low power consumption and small size. Leading applications include headsets for call centers, offices, and mobile communications, but also include a range of other portable audio devices. "Clear communication is essential to doing business, and users of mobile and hands-free devices are often struggling to communicate in noisy or other adverse signal environments," said Geoff Bellew, Dspfactory's vice president of sales and marketing. "The digital processing capability of BelaSigna enables the elimination of much of that noise and other signal degradations and greatly improves the user's listening experience, providing for clearer, more intelligible and safer communication all on a single light-weight, ultra-low power, ultra-miniature chip." The new generation of BelaSigna chips are based on Dspfactory's SignaKlara 2 platform technology and feature an integrated system-on-a-chip (SoC) architecture. "The chips house both the stereo A/D and D/A mixed-signal processing blocks and our powerful patented DSP architecture," noted Todd Schneider vice president of technology. "BelaSigna's processing capability and open platform design enables the deployment of a wide range of sophisticated signal processing algorithms, from those that eliminate noise, echo, and other environmental noises which greatly improve audio performance, to others that can respond to voice commands," he continued. "The flexibility and level of integration provided by BelaSigna chips greatly simplify the design process for device manufacturers, reduces their time-to-market and optimizes bill of material (BOM) costs while significantly improving the performance and reliability of their products," said Bellew. "BelaSigna enables the continued evolution toward increasingly miniature, yet more capable, wearable communication devices."