NXP Semiconductors N.V. released its NXP reference platform for Amazon Alexa, that integrates Amazon’s far-field voice recognition technology and the Alexa Voice Service (AVS).
Designed to simplify the creation of voice-control devices, the NXP reference platform for Amazon Alexa on i.MX is a complete system containing Amazon’s 7-microphone array design, far-field audio processing technology, and AVS client to enable customers and partners to create their own high performance devices with Alexa.
NXP’s i.MX applications processors offer the scalability to meet the requirements that are unique to each customer design within the Internet of Things (IoT). The applications processor portfolio features the i.MX 6 series for general purpose applications, i.MX 7 series for low power applications, and the new advanced i.MX 8 series to enable interactive high performance multimedia and audio experiences.
The NXP Reference Platform for Amazon Alexa features the same high performance far-field technology developed by Amazon for Amazon Echo. With advanced microphone arrays, audio processing algorithms, and beam forming technology, devices using the NXP reference design for Amazon Alexa will be able to recognize a customer’s request from across the room, even when loud music is playing.
The NXP reference platform for Amazon Alexa on i.MX will be available to commercial device manufacturers. OEMs can request an invite on developer.amazon.com to participate in the exclusive preview.
NXP i.MX applications processors have ideal power-to-performance ratios of any processor. Based on ARM core technology, the i.MX family of applications processors delivers power and performance that is crucial in today’s multimedia devices while simultaneously conserving demands on energy use. In addition, i.MX products offer a high degree of integration to help reduce design time. The family combines broad levels of integration and power-efficient processing capabilities as well as high-definition video and targets consumer and industrial applications.
“Integrating high quality audio processing has made the development of advanced voice-enabled devices lengthy and complicated,” said Geoff Lees, senior vice president and general manager of microcontrollers at NXP. “NXP’s reference platform for Amazon Alexa is the definitive solution to this problem. This reference design integrates Amazon’s proven far-field voice recognition technology and our popular i.MX development platform to enable the creation of high-performance voice-enabled devices with Alexa and reduce time to market.”
“Customers love being able to talk to Alexa from across the room with Amazon Echo,” said Priya Abani, Director, Alexa. “We are excited to make it even easier for hardware makers to integrate the convenient hands-free Alexa experience into their products, while providing customers with new devices offering access to Alexa.”
