AAC Technologies, a supplier of miniaturized acoustic components, together with digital sound optimization solutions provider Dirac Research have announced that participation at CES 2018 where both companies will showcase their latest micro-speaker and audio processing solutions developed over two years of collaboration. The two companies are set to unveil a series of “ground-breaking” prototypes including a smart speaker, an augmented reality headset, smartphone solutions, and an ultra-tin speaker for the automotive segment.
All of these prototypes have been custom-configured with AAC-Dirac audio subsystems, they rely on AAC’s high-performance Super Linear Speakers, and combines them with Dirac’s audio processing technology. At CES 2018 the two entities will demonstrate their latest smart speaker and smartphone solutions by pitting these prototypes against their alternatives currently available on the market, though no exact brands or models were mentioned in the early press release. As far as the AR field is concerned, it appears that the two companies have developed a positional speaker system designed to be placed just above the user’s ears. The technology relies on an array of high-performance micro-speakers and Dirac’s advanced audio processing to beam the sound to the user’s ears and produce an immersive audio experience that can overlay the natural sound environment.
Finally, AAC Technologies and Dirac have also developed a prototype for the automotive market in the form of an ultra-thin speaker that can be embedded in headliners, headrests, and other areas in order to create “individual soundstages” inside the vehicle. By the sound of it, all of these technologies set to be showcased at CES 2018 are not meant for the general consumer market, i.e., these solutions will ideally be employed by other OEMs for their various products, ranging from smart speakers and smartphones, to car infotainment systems, especially as the importance of sound quality is seemingly becoming increasingly relevant for immersive experiences, and can separate a high-quality product from a missed opportunity. AAC Technologies and Dirac aim to increase their presence on the market as global suppliers of micro-speaker and digital audio processing solutions, and accordingly, their collaboration was established as a way to achieve new technology breakthroughs as industry leaders working together rather than in isolation.
