MCU & sensor technologies enable smart audio device

3rd March 2015

Siobhan O'Gorman

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STMicroelectronics has announced that it has contributed to the development of the Prizm smart audio device, which automatically plays songs based on the number of people in the room, their music tastes and habits, and even the time of day and ambient noise levels. ST’s MCU and sensor technologies enable Prizm’s smart audio and touch interactions.

Emphasising the tone-establishing and social experience that listening to music creates, Prizm considers room occupants, their prepared profiles and their listening history in setting a mood. When you are alone, Prizm plays music exclusively for you; when several people are in the room, Prizm merges everyone’s preferences to pick music that everyone will enjoy. The major difference between music services and Prizm is that you do not need to tell it what you want it to play, it already knows.

Prizm, a French start-up based in Paris, launched in October 2014, used a Kickstarter campaign to fund its 3.8” tall, pyramid-shaped Prizm connected device. Receiving very strong support and positive feedback, Prizm reached its funding goal in only four days, with an overall funding of over $160,000. The first units, which connect to any speakers (with or without wires) and interact wirelessly with streaming services, are expected to ship in late summer 2015.

Prizm uses a mainstream 32-bit STM32F0 ARM Cortex M0-based MCU to manage its touch interactions, and an ST MEMS microphone for ambient atmosphere detection.

“We found exactly the technical solution we needed to enable Prizm’s unique capabilities in ST’s product portfolio: high-sensitivity MEMS microphones for ambient atmosphere detection and mainstream STM32 MCUs with an outstanding ecosystem that made touch functions easy to implement,” declared Arthur Eberhardt, Chief Technology Officer, Prizm.

“ST’s portfolio of MCUs, complemented by a wide range of sensors, power components, security and connectivity elements, enables the quick and easy design of products across a broad spectrum of electronics applications,” said Jacky Perdrigeat, EMEA Region Vice President, STMicroelectronics.