Tiny MEMS ultrasonic drivers have already made a big difference in the sound quality of true wireless earbuds. Now, the company behind those “ultrasound sound” speakers, xMEMS Labs, is taking aim at open-back headphones, smart glasses, and smart watches with its new Sycamore microcontroller. xMEMS says this is the first all-silicon, full-range near-field microspeaker that offers full-range audio for outdoor devices.
Sycamore is based on the same platform as xMEMS' Cypress driver for active noise cancellation (ANC) headphones. This means that the component uses ultrasonic waves to create full-frequency sound from a 1mm thick chip. The company explains that Sycamore can match the mid-bass performance of current drivers while boosting up to 11 dB more sub-bass. This new on-chip speaker has also improved treble, recording up to 15 dB above 5 KHz compared to drivers currently in use. And, of course, there is the clarity and detail that MEMS units offer.
“Everything you get from our internal speakers translates to Sycamore,” xMEMS VP of Marketing and Business Development Mike Housholder told Engadget. “In these first products we compared, our clarity continues to come through in Sycamore, so you'll get that benefit too.”
In addition to improved audio performance, another key advantage of Sycamore drivers is their ultra-compact size. xMEMS says these microspeakers are one-seventh the size of the conventional dynamic driver and one-third the thickness. They also weigh 70 percent less. This reduced size would give product designers more flexibility, which could lead to more elegant and attractive products. One of my key complaints with smart glasses is the thickness of the earcups, so if companies can make something that looks more like real glasses and still improve the audio, that's a win in my book.
“Because these are fashion products, you need something that's really thin and really light, and that's where Sycamore comes in,” Housholder continued. “The benefit Sycamore brings to these product categories is next-level thinness and weight.”
Since Sycamore is based on the same platform as Cypress and the xMEMS XMC-2400 micro-cooling fan on a chip, this new controller will use the same manufacturing setup. This means that xMEMS will be able to deliver faster, but also accelerate the industrial process for future microproducts. Samples of the Sycamore open-air drivers are expected to be available in the first quarter of 2025 and mass production will begin next October. Given this timeline, we'll likely see the first products with Sycamore drivers in 2026.
