Dspfactory's Toccata Plus brings even greater listening clarity to hearing aids

From: CanadaIT.com, Canada - 12 Dec 2002

Second generation technology delivers enhanced audio quality with twice the processing power in half the space

WATERLOO, ON, Dec. 12 /CNW/ - Dspfactory Ltd., a leading provider of open programmable digital signal processing (DSP) technology for hearing aids, headsets, PDAs, and other portable audio devices, today announced the launch of Toccata Plus -- a miniature, ultra-low-power microchip that provides greatly improved listening clarity capabilities to hearing aid manufacturers, dramatically improving a hearing aid wearers' listening experience.

Toccata Plus is the second generation of Dspfactory's industry-leading Toccata chipset. Through its tightly integrated system-on-a-chip (SoC) architecture, Toccata Plus delivers twice the processing power in half the space of its predecessor. It combines digital/analog signal conversions and advanced digital signal processing onto a single, 0.18-micron chip.

"We have simultaneously reduced size and power consumption while boosting computational capability," said Todd Schneider, Dspfactory's vice president of technology. "Toccata Plus has the flexibility to accommodate sophisticated DSP algorithms that filter out background noise and remove other barriers to clear communication for hearing aid wearers. And it does all this on one tiny, low-power chip that will enable the next generation of instruments to be even smaller and more powerful than devices currently on the market."

With its open platform design, Toccata Plus allows hearing instruments to be inexpensively customized through reprogrammable software, significantly reducing manufacturers' costs at the design, manufacturing, and assembly stages while shortening time to market.

Toccata Plus draws very little power, providing hearing aid wearers with reduced battery replacement costs along with superior sound clarity. Its ultra-compact footprint makes it ideal for miniature completely-in-the-canal (CIC) and in-the-ear (ITE) hearing instruments.

"The first generation Toccata chipset has been a global success since its launch last year, with endorsements from some of the world's largest hearing aid manufacturers," said Dspfactory president and CEO Robert Tong. "The single-chip design of Toccata Plus is another major breakthrough that will enable manufacturers to improve the listening experience of hearing aid wearers, and to do so inexpensively and quickly."

About Dspfactory

Dspfactory Ltd., a fabless semiconductor company, is a leading-edge developer of ultra-miniaturized, ultra-low power, software-programmable, digital signal processing (DSP) technology. Dspfactory's mission is to embed its unique technology ubiquitously into a wide range of market applications. Its target markets include hearing aids, headsets, personal digital assistants, personal digital audio players, embedded sensors, baseband wireless devices, cellular telephones, or any other portable, battery-powered DSP-based product where size and power consumption are as important as flexible, advanced software processing capabilities. To support the development and implementation of signal processing software solutions on its technology platforms, Dspfactory also provides a complete set of easy-to-use support tools and services, ranging from software development and testing tools to custom DSP software development and engineering services. For more information, visit http://www.dspfactory.com.

© 2002 CanadaIT Ventures Inc.