News Release: Dspfactory launches the Orela 4500 series...

From: Dspfactory Ltd. - Mar 31, 2004

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Dspfactory launches the Orela 4500 series to bring breakthrough audio processing to high-end digital hearing aids

WATERLOO, ON -- March 31, 2004 -- Dspfactory Ltd., a leading provider of reconfigurable digital signal processing (DSP) technology for digital hearing aids, wireless headsets and other portable audio devices has launched the Orela 4500 series of DSP-based hybrids, providing unsurpassed sound clarity in advanced digital hearing aids. Orela 4500 was unveiled today in Salt Lake City at the 2004 convention of the American Academy of Audiology.

The Orela 4500 series provides breakthrough performance in DSP-based hearing aid applications, providing exceptional sound quality and an unmatched listening experience for hearing aid users, all delivered with ultra-low power consumption.

For manufacturers of advanced digital hearing aids, the open system architecture of the Orela 4500 offers unparalleled flexibility. The Dspfactory platform can be easily reconfigured for a broad range of hearing profiles, while algorithms can be refined and optimized during the development process and throughout an instrument's lifecycle.

"High-performance digital hearing aids have demanding performance and power consumption requirements, and we've developed the next-generation Orela 4500 series of hybrids to meet those needs," said Todd Schneider, Dspfactory's vice president of technology. "The reconfigurable open platform enables manufacturers to quickly and easily produce devices that deliver the rich set of features and performance they want. One platform can be used to rapidly implement a wide range of new and highly differentiated products that can be tailored to the specific needs of their users."

A complete set of software tools is available to facilitate evaluation and enable rapid development and configuration, ensuring fast time-to-market for manufacturers. With the Orela 4500 series, manufacturers can quickly develop and introduce leading-edge hearing aid solutions featuring the most advanced adaptive signal processing schemes.

The next-generation Orela 4500 series is a high-end complement to Dspfactory's successful Toccata Plus product line, currently used by one-third of the world's largest hearing aid manufacturers.

"With Orela 4500 and Toccata Plus, along with our recently-announced partnership with RTI to deliver DSP solutions for moderately-priced digital hearing aids, Dspfactory provides a full spectrum of world-leading DSP platforms for manufacturers targetting any segment of the digital hearing aid market," said Dspfactory president and CEO Robert Tong.

Pre-production samples will be available in April with production quantities shipping in early summer. More information is available online at http://www.dspfactory.com/products/orela_4500.html.

Additional features of the Orela 4500 series of hybrids:

Breakthrough Performance: Delivers exceptional computational strength with selectable clock speeds (up to 5.12 MHz), configurable sampling frequencies, and extensive non-volatile memory capacity (256 kbit), all with ultra-low power consumption. Enables manufacturers to implement the multiple adaptive algorithms required by today's high-end hearing devices.

Superb Audio Fidelity: Provides exceptional system dynamic range, low time delay and extremely low system noise, resulting in excellent sound quality for hearing aid users.

Unmatched Flexibility: Features a reconfigurable, open-system architecture that allows easy retargeting of the hybrid to suit a broad range of hearing profiles -- such as higher fidelity for milder losses and high maximum output for more profound losses, without the need for costly external amplifiers.

Fast Time to Market for Manufacturers: Includes comprehensive and easy-to-use development tools, full technical support, hands-on training, and compatibility with existing Dspfactory platforms, enabling swift development and customization.

Advanced Fitting Options: Enables hearing aid manufacturers to add advanced fitting features to their devices. Includes built-in support for NOAHlink programming interface, which is used to program advanced hearing instruments wirelessly with Bluetooth technology. This enables hearing aid dispensers to make adjustments to compatible hearing aids based on the user's verbal feedback as they move around in different sound environments. A data-logging feature enables the collection of user data and settings during operation to fine-tune the device for greater speech intelligibility and listening comfort.

The underlying technology within Orela 4500 series hybrids also supports wireless transceivers through the PCM interface.

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.

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Media Contact:
Richard McClurg
Marketing Manager
Dspfactory Ltd.
Tel: +1 519 884 9696 Ext. 2283
E-mail: richard.mcclurg@dspfactory.com