InvenSense, a provider of MEMS motion sensors and microphones for the consumer electronics market, and Sonion, a provider of micro acoustic solutions for hearing instruments, in-ear earphones and specialty headsets, announced this week a strategic alliance in which the two parties will cooperate in the development of MEMS microphones and related technologies for use in a broad range of hearing applications. InvenSense will bring its MEMS knowledge, MEMS microphone portfolio and R&D resources to the partnership. Sonion will contribute with its insights in development of high performance microphones, R&D resources and its specialized application engineering function addressing the hearing health market.
Sonion will also have exclusive rights to sell InvenSense MEMS microphone products into hearing aids for hearing health. InvenSense will be Sonion's primary source of MEMS microphone products and related technologies, while InvenSense will continue to sell MEMS microphones into other hearing and microphone applications.
"As the demand for MEMS solutions for hearing aids, hearing aid accessories, assistive listening/alerting and signaling system continues to rise, this alliance will have the joint benefit of accelerating both technology and customer access to bring the highest performance MEMS microphone technology to the hearing aid industry," said Behrooz Abdi, President and CEO of InvenSense. "We are proud to collaborate with Sonion, a worldwide market leader in micro acoustic and micromechanical technologies and solutions for hearing instruments, in-ear earphones and communication devices."
"By adding MEMS microphones to our already very strong electret microphone portfolio, we will be in a unique position to support our customers in the hearing health market. We are impressed with the technology steps made by InvenSense in their MEMS microphones and we are excited to start working together. Looking forward, we see great opportunities for combining the knowledge of Sonion and InvenSense for making even more attractive MEMS based microphone products," said Jørn Mørkeberg, CEO of Sonion.
Sonion's product portfolio includes balanced armature receivers, high performance microphones, telecoils and a number of micro mechanical components. Sonion currently employs 3,200 people worldwide and is headquartered in Roskilde, Denmark.
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