The Audio Revolution at the Edge

As our world increasingly relies on sound, the demand for pristine audio quality rises. Clear and crisp audio has become essential for various applications such as voice assistants and video conferencing. However, background noise can often interfere with audio quality, making communication and entertainment less enjoyable. Effective audio denoising is essential for these applications. 

BrainChip has developed an Audio Denoising solution that uses Temporal Event Neural Networks (TENNs), a set of algorithms designed to enhance performance and power efficiency. 

The Audio Denoising solution stands out by minimizing the need for extensive data conversion that consumes significant power. This efficiency supports better audio quality and aligns with the growing demand for sustainable technology solutions in the audio industry.

The Challenge of Audio Denoising

Audio denoising has long been a complex challenge in signal processing. Traditional methods often lack balancing noise reduction while preserving sound quality. 

• One of the main challenges in audio denoising is distinguishing between desired audio and unwanted noise. This can be especially difficult when the noise has similar characteristics to the audio signal, such as in background conversations or environmental sounds. 

• Another challenge is in the computational complexity of audio denoising algorithms. Many traditional methods require significant processing power and memory resources, making them unsuitable for deployment on resource-constrained devices. 

These limitations have become problematic as the demand for real-time audio processing grows in various applications. 

BrainChip Audio Denoising: A Solution to Unwanted Noise

BrainChip's Audio Denoising solution enhances audio quality by removing unwanted noise. Powered by TENNs, this solution offers improvements in performance and energy efficiency. This makes it a good option for edge-computing audio applications.

Key Features of BrainChip Audio Denoising

• The solution includes medium-sized models that achieve an impressive Perceptual Evaluation of Speech Quality (PESQ) score of 3.36 with just 590,000 parameters. This makes it highly scalable to meet specific customer needs.

• The TENN models require fewer computational resources compared to traditional models. They use 12 times fewer multiply-accumulate operations (MACs) and nearly three times fewer parameters. This leads to lower power consumption.

• The Audio Denoising solution comes with integrated Hardware IP. It can easily be incorporated into System-on-Chip (SoC) designs for optimal performance in audio processing tasks.

• It is suitable for a range of devices, including wireless earbuds, VoIP systems, and smart home products. It can also be used as a standalone feature or as part of a more extensive system.

• Customers with a TENNs license can fine-tune the TENN models to cater to specific audio environments. This ensures tailored performance for various use cases.

Benefits of Audio Denoising Solution

BrainChip Audio Denoising solution provides several important benefits for various applications:

• Improved Sound Quality: This solution enhances audio clarity by removing unwanted noise. This makes conversations, music, and other sounds more enjoyable.

• Better Communication: Denoising improves speech intelligibility in noisy environments, such as busy offices or public places, making conversations easier to understand.

• Enhanced User Experience: Clear audio is important for devices like hearing aids or smart speakers. BrainChip Denoising ensures users can hear content without distractions from background noise.

• Energy Efficiency: The Denoising solution consumes less power. This extends the battery life of devices, which is essential for portable electronics.

Real-World Applications of BrainChip Denoising Solution

BrainChip Audio Denoising solution can enhance audio quality and improve user experiences in multiple settings.

1. Smart Home Devices

The solution plays a vital role in smart home technology. By improving the accuracy of voice-controlled systems, it ensures that commands are recognized correctly. This leads to better functionality and user satisfaction.

2. Industrial Monitoring

In industrial settings, the solution enhances the quality of audio data. This improvement leads to more accurate analysis and predictive maintenance. This offers increased efficiency and safety in operations.

3. Medical Devices

The technology also applies to medical devices, which aid in vital sign estimation. This capability offers accurate and energy-efficient monitoring of human health, which is important in healthcare settings.

4. Speech Clarity

The Denoising solution can also be used in voice calls and audio recordings. TENN models remove background noise and allow the speaker's voice to come through clearly. This feature is beneficial for mobile devices and hearing aids, where clear communication is essential.

5. VoIP Communication

The BrainChip Denoising solution improves audio quality in video conferencing and online meetings. Providing more precise and noise-free audio enhances the experience of remote work. This way, the conversations can be more productive and enjoyable.

Implementation and Future Directions

BrainChip Audio Denoising solution is also integrated into the Akida 2.0 IP, optimized for TENNs technology. The architecture includes a network of nodes, each equipped with an event-based TENN processing unit. This provides a powerful platform for audio processing tasks.

• Future developments will aim to improve efficiency by enhancing activation sparsity, which will reduce the number of active computations needed. 

• There will also be a focus on exploring more flexible model architectures to adapt to different audio processing needs. 

• Additionally, integrated solutions will be developed to combine audio denoising with speech recognition and keyword spotting tasks. This will offer a more comprehensive audio processing toolkit.

Final Words

BrainChip's Audio Denoising Solution is a big step forward in audio processing technology. By managing power consumption and computational demands, the solution supports the development of edge devices that provide clear audio in various environments. 

This smart technology can make a big difference in how you enjoy your music, videos, and calls. With less noise and better sound, you can focus on what matters.