PIMIC, a specialist in ultra-low-power AI semiconductor technology, has unveiled the Clarity™️ NC100, a Deep Neural Network (DNN)-based Environmental Noise Cancellation (ENC) chip that is designed to set a new benchmark for performance and edge AI compute efficiency. This chip is said to deliver impressive noise suppression, handling challenging environments like strong windy conditions and noisy industrial settings with a single microphone while consuming just 150μA. Designed with an ultra-compact silicon die, it integrates seamlessly into a microphone package, saving PCB space, making it ideal for space-constrained applications. Its software-free design enables seamless and rapid integration of ENC functionality into any edge devices. It is integrated with established microphone developer ZillTek‘s AI digital microphone.
“Developed with the latest advancements in Deep Neural Networks and PIMIC’s innovative PIM (Processing-In-Memory) silicon architecture, the NC100 chip is a major breakthrough in noise cancellation technology,” said Subi Krishnamurthy, founder and CEO of PIMIC. “It eliminates even the most challenging background noise, excelling in single-microphone setups where traditional DSP solutions fall short. Clarity NC100 opens new market opportunities by overcoming constraints of size, power, and cost, redefining noise cancellation across industries.”
Unlike traditional multi-microphone noise cancellation systems, PIMIC’s Clarity NC100 chip is claimed to deliver superior noise suppression using a single microphone. This approach is said to eliminate the need for complex multi-microphone setups, reducing system costs, power consumption, and integration challenges. The result is a clear audio experience ideal for noisy environments across diverse applications.
Target markets and applications for PIMIC’s Clarity NC100 chip include:
Gaming Headsets: Delivering clear in-game communication, even in chaotic settings.
Surveillance Cameras: Enhancing audio quality to capture critical sound details in noisy outdoor conditions.
Industrial Environments and Airfields: Improving communication clarity where loud ambient noise is unavoidable.
Edge and Wearable Markets: Enabling effective noise cancellation in space-constrained, battery-powered devices.
Robotics: Suppresses environmental noise while preserving human voices, ensuring clear communication for remote monitoring, telepresence, or public-facing robots in noisy environments.
Smart AI Microphone with Clarity™ NC100 Integrated
With its compact die size and ultra-low power consumption, PIMIC’s Clarity NC100 chip seamlessly integrates into a microphone package, offering a highly efficient, space-saving, and software-free solution for adding noise cancellation to any edge application. ZillTek, a prominent microphone manufacturer and an early adopter of Clarity NC100, is set to integrate Clarity NC100 inside of their microphone with samples available in Q1, 2025.
“We are excited to integrate PIMIC’s Clarity NC100 chip into our advanced microphone solutions,” said Joshua Yeh, CTO at ZillTek. “This collaboration enables us to deliver an AI digital microphone with environmental noise cancellation that sets a new benchmark for audio clarity, efficiency, and compact design. Together with PIMIC, we are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in smart AI microphone technology.”
“Yole Group projects the MEMS microphone sensor market for consumer applications to reach nearly $1.2 billion by 2029, with a 3% CAGR from 2023 to 2029,” said Pierre-Marie Visse, senior technology & market analyst, MEMS & Sensing at Yole Group. “In this landscape, PIMIC’s innovative approach to noise cancellation across various high-volume markets stands out, with promising demonstrations. Its potential to enhance applications requiring efficient, low-power noise suppression could drive substantial advancements in the audio products industry.” (1)
- Source: Status of the MEMS Industry report, Yole Intelligence, 2024.
The Power of Edge AI Innovation
Clarity NC100 demonstrates PIMIC’s expertise in developing cutting-edge AI inference silicon with Processing-in-Memory (PIM) architecture, which is said to enable impressive performance with ultra-low power consumption. By integrating noise cancellation capabilities directly within a single microphone package, Clarity NC100 meets the growing demand for compact, cost-effective AI solutions in the edge AI market, according to PIMIC.
