AMI Semiconductor's Ezairo DSP Platform Selected by Two Pi for Its Next Generation of Sound Processing Algorithms

AMI Semiconductor (NASDAQ:AMIS), a designer and manufacturer of state-of-the-art mixed-signal and digital products for the automotive, medical, industrial, and military/aerospace sectors, announced today that Two Pi Signal Processing Applications GmbH (Two Pi), a specialized provider of advanced software solutions addressing hearing loss and communications in noisy environments, has selected the Ezairo 5900 series of integrated circuits and packaged hybrids to further develop its suite of sound processing algorithms for hearing aid devices. Two Pi’s Direct Hearing software platform is comprised of configurable sound processing algorithm blocks that are selectively assembled to form a customized software suite for sophisticated hearing aids. Already successfully established for AMI Semiconductor’s Orela 4500 series, Direct Hearing has been further enhanced and optimized for the Ezairo 5900 series. Initial benchmarks have clearly demonstrated the superior performance of Ezairo; the suite’s adaptive feedback canceller delivers up to 19dB of additional stable gain and the Formant Booster speech intelligibility enhancer yields significantly better results. The Ezairo 5900 series features a 24-bit precision open programmable DSP core combined with a highly reconfigurable HEAR™ accelerator engine. This unique dual-core architecture allows the Direct Hearing suite to run with an optimal balance between performance and power consumption. Ezairo 5900 includes all necessary on-chip peripheral blocks to directly interface with transducers, a battery and controls. These blocks have been crafted for high-precision sound throughout the system, offering an exceptional input dynamic range of up to 110dB as well as an audio bandwidth extendable to 16kHz. Consequently, Two Pi’s algorithm suite can be crafted to deliver the highest performance, enabling manufacturers to produce hearing aids for use in even the most challenging listening situations. "Exceptional performance without compromising flexibility or power consumption was our primary focus when we designed the Ezairo 5900 series,” said Michel De Mey, senior director, hearing and audio solutions at AMI Semiconductor. "We are pleased to see Two Pi endorsing this effort and making Ezairo 5900 the reference platform for their next generation algorithm solutions for the hearing aid market.” "Making the Direct Hearing suite available for Ezairo 5900 and enhancing its features is only the first step,” said Tarik Zukic, Technical Manager at Two Pi. "The additional performance provided by Ezairo is an ideal match for the more sophisticated and feature-rich hearing aids targeted at mild to moderate hearing loss for which we have observed there’s an increasing demand. We are confident this platform will give us the performance required to address these needs.” About Two Pi Two Pi is an innovative technology company developing advanced intellectual property for the hearing healthcare, personal communications and professional communications markets. Two Pi’s algorithm catalogue results from a streamlined scientific program carried out in cooperation with university partners. Research projects in signal processing and psychoacoustics are designed with the clear purpose of addressing real-world problems. All software products are built at industrial-strength quality, and are suitable for the lowest-power DSP platforms. For more information, visit: www.two-pi.com. About AMI Semiconductor’s Solutions for the Hearing Aid Market A leader in the design and manufacture of silicon solutions for the real world, AMI Semiconductor offers the most widely deployed open platform DSP systems for the hearing aid market. With an unmatched combination of expertise in ultra-low power digital signal processing and wireless technologies, best-in-class development tools, a deep understanding of the unique needs of the market, and a global network of solution partners, the company develops and delivers semiconductor solutions that play a key role in advancing the functionality and performance of today’s hearing solutions. About AMI Semiconductor As a widely recognized innovator in state-of-the-art mixed-signal and digital products, AMIS is committed to providing customers in the automotive, medical, industrial, mil/aero, and communication markets with the optimal value, quickest time-to-market semiconductor solutions. AMI Semiconductor operates globally with headquarters in Pocatello, Idaho, European corporate offices in Oudenaarde, Belgium, and a network of sales and design centers located in the key markets of the North America, Europe and the Asia Pacific region. For more information, please visit the AMIS Web site at www.amis.com.