San Francisco-based chipmaker Atlazo announced the launch of its first-generation AI SoC, AZ-N1, for smart tiny devices like TWS earbuds, smart hearing aids, and more. The device is the industry's first fully-integrated AI SoC featuring a highly power-efficient Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning processor (Axon ITM) for audio, voice, health monitoring, and sensors. Atlazo's hyper-low-power AZ-N1 AI SoC also integrates a low-power CODEC supporting up to 4 microphones, a battery charger, DC/DC regulators, and Bluetooth connectivity. The AZ-N1 AI SoC can handle the most challenging tasks required to process audio, sound, biometrics, and other sensor signals, and classify activities in a fraction of the power budget used by comparable solutions on the market today.

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A single Axon ITM processor supports a variety of AI/ML networks including DNN, LSTM, and GRNN and popular feature extraction techniques such as MFCC. Computing an audio DNN network, for example, Axon ITM performs more than 130 inferences per second, Altazo said in a press release.

Customer applications currently being developed with the AZ-N1 AI SoC include smart TWS earbuds, hearing aids, Personal Sound Amplification Products (PSAPs), and fitness and health monitoring devices.

“Atlazo's mission is to enable smart tiny edge devices with a new level of always-on AI capabilities and analytics in an SoC form to unleash new features and applications. We provide comprehensive support to our customers from system design to algorithm development enabling them to add new features to expand their addressable market,” said Dr. Karim Arabi, co-founder and CEO of Atlazo, Inc.

AZ-N1 AI SoC is sampling to select customers now with a complete hardware and software development kit and key AI algorithms such as keyword spotting and speaker verification.

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Atlazo is a leader in always-on AI processor, sensor interface design, and energy management for tiny edge devices. Founded in 2016, the company is dedicated to addressing the global demand for smarter and more power-efficient tiny devices targeting the rapidly growing smart TWS earbud, hearing aid, wearable and health-monitoring devices. Atlazo brings cutting edge innovations in hyper-low power semiconductor design, on-device AI processor, and accurate sensing.