Date: 13/09/2010

Quality sound delivering MEMS microphone at condenser microphone's price

STMicroelectronics said it has released a MEMS stereo microphone that can deliver good sound quality and reliability at low size and cost. This MEMS microphone is suggested for audio applications such as cell phones, portable media players, games, digital cameras, security systems, learning devices and hearing aids.

ST's MP45DT01 digital-output stereo microphone employs omni-directional sensitivity to detect and filter out background noise. The sound quality can be further improved by incorporating multiple microphones in one device. Such microphone arrays are made possible by ST's MEMS microphones.

ST says these MEMS microphones meet price points set by the traditional electret condenser microphones (ECM). ST has designed these audio sensors less susceptible to mechanical vibration, temperature variations and electromagnetic interference by using sensor technology from Omron.

According to iSuppli's research, dated September 2009, the market for micro-machined acoustic devices for consumer electronics and mobile handsets is forecast to grow revenue at a CAGR of 18% between 2008 and 2013, when the number of units shipped should exceed one billion parts per year. With audio becoming control interface in mobile computers and phones, the handheld digital device designer will look for cost-effective and high performance acoustic to electrical signal converting sensors, which is mostly going to be MEMS based.


Price: US$1 for 10K pieces

Availability: Sampling now