Sensory and Rubidium Partner to Bring Alexa to Qualcomm Chips
Sensory and Rubidium are now offering support for the Amazon Alexa wake word on the CSR8670 and CSR8675 Qualcomm Bluetooth Audio system-on-chips (SoCs).
Manufacturers will be able to license software from Sensory and Rubidium, which has been developed using the software development kit made available through the Qualcomm eXtension program, to integrate Alexa wake word capabilities into Bluetooth products, such as headphones, speakers, hearables, and fitness accessories powered by the Qualcomm CSR8670 and CSR8675 Bluetooth Audio SoCs. After the wake word is detected, manufacturers can pass users' spoken requests to Alexa through a downloadable app on their mobile phones. Users can then access Alexa's information, like news or weather updates, and services such as transportation or music streaming from the Internet with their voices.
The software offerings from these eXtension program members are also designed to support barge-in use cases, allowing Bluetooth devices to recognize and respond to the wake word while music is playing.
With the solutions from Sensory or Rubidium, support for the Alexa trigger word is expected to be integrated into device manufacturers' new or existing product lines as an update to the software that runs on the Qualcomm Bluetooth Audio SoCs. This feature can combine local voice recognition algorithms running on the Bluetooth audio platform with cloud services running on a mobile application.
"Support for the Alexa wake word capabilities, offered by Qualcomm eXtension program members, can help reduce integration and development time for device manufacturers, which offers cost reduction opportunities as well," said Anthony Murray, senior vice president and general manager of voice and music, Qualcomm Technologies International, in a statement. "Our eXtension program is designed to assist program members in integrating these voice service features using our Bluetooth Audio platforms. This in turn helps manufacturers meet the emerging demand for audio products integrated with Alexa."