World’s smallest speaker uses PCB technology from AT&S

Development of the MEMS micro-speaker would not have been possible without innovations in materials, silicon integration and packaging. Thanks to packaging solutions, the MEMS loudspeaker itself, its drive circuits (application-specific integrated circuits, ASIC) and passive elements can be integrated into a tiny component with an extremely small form factor. While MEMS components are widely used as acceleration and tilt sensors, and as microphones, in smartphones, wearables and vehicles, MEMS-based speakers did not exist until now. By eliminating the coil and magnet found in conventional solutions, MEMS speakers achieve extremely small dimensions along with low power consumption and very good sound quality. USound will transfer the presented technology into mass production. The new generation of speakers based on semiconductor technology is set to come to market in 2018. They will require only half as much space and 80 percent less power than their predecessors.