Improve your Designs Through Understanding of Acoustics Fundamentals

The most fundamental point of interaction between virtual assistant technology and the user begins with the microphones and audio components. Users expect their devices to be responsive. That means waking up to the sound of their voice at the right time, and not unexpectedly. It also means they expect to be understood by their device, as well as clearly hear what their device is saying back. Getting the acoustic details right is crucial to delivering a great experience.

This Tech Talk covers the acoustic challenges that devices must overcome and the most common pitfalls to avoid while designing them. We’ll review the most critical components and the guidelines for best selecting them, as well some of the system-level design challenges you’ll face. Then we’ll wrap things up with a gentle introduction to the necessary functions of the audio processing algorithms required for an Alexa Built-in device.