Cupertino, Calif., October 10th, 2005 – Fortemedia Inc., a leader in voice processing technology based in Cupertino, California, today announced the immediate availability of the FM1182 voice processor, a DSP-based solution aimed at providing clear and noise free communication for portable devices. By using the low-power FM1182 – with a power consumption of only 35mW – not only can designers deliver superior echo and noise cancellation (60dB acoustic echo cancellation, 20dB noise suppression), they can also save 80% of processing power compared with using a software echo canceller. At the same time, FM1182 frees up the main processor’s bandwidth to run other applications.

Under less than ideal conditions, even the best microphone does a poor job of capturing sound. FM1182 features SAM (small array microphone) technology (http://www.fortemedia.com/SAM/sam_web.htm), leveraging an array of microphones to enable a beam-forming effect which accurately pinpoints the location of the sound source. Then, using a patent-pending algorithm, FM1182 preserves the desired signal while suppressing ambient noise outside of the beam, delivering a crystal clear signal to the other party.

“Users of portable devices can finally benefit from the clarity of using array microphone technology,” says Paul Huang, CEO of Fortemedia. “Other array microphones on the market today require at least 30mm between each microphone, which makes them impractical for portable devices. With SAM, the 2 microphones can be placed practically right next to each other. We are already working on several designs with top-tier vendors in the Smartphone and PDA space, and portable consumers will have access to SAM technology in the very near future.”

FM1182 is a standalone voice processor, with DSP, CODEC, on-chip memory, and industry standard interfaces. FM1182 is sampling today in 48-pin BGA and 48-pin LQFP packages, with both extended grade and automotive grade support. A development kit is also available.

About Fortemedia

Fortemedia Inc. is a voice processing company enabling state-of-the-art hands free communication. By integrating SAM (Small Array Microphone) technology and advanced DSP technology, the company focuses on the high growth markets for handsets, automotives, and other mobile devices. For more information, please visit http://www.fortemedia.com.

Contact Information:

Company URL
http://www.fortemedia.com

Hans Wang, hwang@fortemedia.com
+1-408-8618088 x119