STMicroelectronics Launches Voice-Over-Bluetooth Low Energy for Wearable and Remote-Control Applications

BlueVoice drivers and libraries simplify product development with STM32 microcontrollers, Bluetooth^® Low Energy IC, and MEMS sensors

Geneva, June 10, 2015 - Voice control that can make wearable technology simpler and more battery-friendly just became easier to add with software-based innovations from STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM), a global semiconductor leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications.

The wearables sector is taking off, with the arrival of sophisticated new products such as smart watches. Research firm IHS predicts^[1] the market will reach 135 million units by 2019 and sees designs becoming smarter and more sensor-rich to support advanced functions. Ease of use and extended battery life are already important points for buyers to consider, and voice control can enhance both by minimizing touchscreen usage.

ST's market-leading wireless ICs, microcontrollers, and MEMS^[2] sensors are ideal for use in wearable electronics. With the new BlueVoice software, designers get all the drivers and libraries they need to implement voice transmission over a Bluetooth^® Low Energy connection in systems built around ST's STM32 microcontrollers, BlueNRG ultra-low-power network processors, and digital MEMS microphones. All these are available in stackable development boards for easy prototyping.

Bluetooth Low Energy also offers advantages alongside Wi-Fi and ZigBee^® in Remote-Control Units (RCUs) for home-automation systems. ST's development platform with BlueVoice software is ideal for implementing voice and gesture control using a MEMS microphone and motion sensors, to implement  a more intuitive and natural user-interface.

Based on the STM32Cube platform, the new osxBlueVoice middleware and BlueVoiceLink software development kit (SDK) are part of the open.AUDIO licensing program, which supports designers working with ST's MEMS digital microphones. open.AUDIO is linked to the STM32 Open Development Environment, which provides powerful support for designers using STM32 ARM^® Cortex^® 32-bit microcontrollers in embedded projects.

The BlueVoiceLink SDK can be downloaded free of charge for evaluation and development at www.st.com/bluevoicelink-nb. Activation is easy using the licensing wizard tool included in the distribution package, and volume-license terms are straightforward and business-friendly for use in competitively-priced end products.

Note to Editors:

The STM32 Open Development Environment comprises both hardware and software, including STM32 Nucleo microcontroller boards for all STM32 lines and stackable expansion boards such as the X-NUCLEO-IDB04A1 BlueNRG board, X-NUCLEO-CCA02M1 MP34DT01-M MEMS microphone board, and X-NUCLEO-IKS01A1 motion-MEMS and environmental-sensor board. In addition, STM32Cube embedded software and example code snippets simplify basic software development allowing designers to focus on perfecting differentiating features at the application level.

About STMicroelectronics

ST is a global leader in the semiconductor market serving customers across the spectrum of sense and power and automotive products and embedded processing solutions. From energy management and savings to trust and data security, from healthcare and wellness to smart consumer devices, in the home, car and office, at work and at play, ST is found everywhere microelectronics make a positive and innovative contribution to people's life. By getting more from technology to get more from life, ST stands for life.augmented.

In 2014, the Company's net revenues were $7.40 billion. Further information on ST can be found at www.st.com.

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