Who Makes the Microphones Used in Alexa Devices?
The microphones used in Amazon's popular voice assistant, Alexa, play a crucial role in enabling its far-field voice recognition capabilities. While Amazon designs and manufactures some of these microphones, they often source components from various suppliers to ensure high performance and reliability.
The Role of Knowles in Alexa Microphones
The short answer is Knowles. However, this isn't about a single company providing just one part. Instead, it's an intricate ecosystem of specialized suppliers working together to bring Alexa to life. Knowles, a leading player in the MEMS (Micro-Electromechanical Systems) microphone market, is a significant supplier of the microphone chips in Alexa devices.
Knowles provides not only the microphones but also the integrated circuits (ICs) that are integral to Alexa's voice recognition capabilities. These are used in a wide range of products, including smartphones (like Apple’s iPhone) and smart speakers (like Amazon's Echo). The microphones found in these products often come in arrays, which are essential for enabling far-field voice recognition.
Microphone Arrays in Alexa Devices
A seven-microphone array is a notable feature in the Echo and Dot devices. A teardown of the Echo reveals that it uses seven surface mount microphones provided by Knowles. The specific model is the S1053 0090 V6 Microphone. These multi-microphone arrays work together to capture a broad range of sounds from different directions, enhancing speech recognition in noisy environments.
The AI behind Alexa, known as the persona, is responsible for interpreting and responding to user commands. The hardware, which includes these carefully designed microphones, showcases and enables the Alexa experience. The Echo Dot, a smaller version, also utilizes these advanced microphone arrays to provide a seamless and responsive voice interaction.
Building Your Own Alexa Experiences
For those interested in building their own voice-controlled devices, companies like Seeedstudio offer products like the ReSpeaker. This programmable device mimics the functionality of an Amazon Echo Dot and comes equipped with a seven-microphone array. It's an excellent starting point for those looking to experiment with voice recognition technology.
The ReSpeaker can be easily extended with additional sensors and displays, making it a versatile platform for DIY projects. Whether you're a hobbyist or a professional, this device provides a hands-on way to explore the technology that powers Amazon's Alexa and similar voice assistants.
By leveraging powerful microphones like those from Knowles, Amazon has created a device that not only understands human speech but also ranges and responds effectively across various environments. This highlights the importance of high-quality microphone technology in voice assistants and the role of companies like Knowles in shaping the future of voice interaction.