Ark Electronics and Surfaceink enter JV for consumer voice solutions

“With Ark’s manufacturing expertise and Surfaceink’s experience with advanced audio and voice product development, this joint venture offers OEMS and start-ups a better option in voice performance while reducing development costs and accelerating their time-to-market,” says Eric Bauswell, CEO of Surfaceink, in a press release. “In today’s competitive landscape, time-to-market is everything.” E.J. Constantine, Founder and Chief Executive of Ark Electronics USA, adds, “Talking to our customers both here and overseas, the need for a better voice experience in the market is clear. Brands want more control while mitigating the risks and costs of developing their solutions. Our production-ready solutions are designed and manufactured to enable them to do just that.” ArkX’s line of ready-made audio/voice products and development kits are powered by Cirrus Logic SoundClear and FlexArray technology. The products are Alexa-compatible and meet all requirements for the Amazon Voice Services (AVS) premium rating product qualifications and are compatible with other platforms. “Our ArkX solutions add a new dimension to far-field voice by analyzing sound in 3D, unlike the 2-dimensional planar view of other technologies, increasing range and precision in capturing voice and suppressing noise,” said Scott McNeese, Director of Voice Technology at Surfaceink. “Twelve independent AEC’s also make it ideal for soundbars and surround sound solutions.” Ark Electronics USA is a contract manufacturing and engineering design company based in the United States and China.