Chirp, a data-over-sound technology company, and DSP Group, a wireless chipsets manufacturer, have announced the Chirp software development kit (SDK) reference design for sound-based data transmission. The SDK incorporates Chirp’s ultrasonic signaling protocol and DSP Group’s SmartVoice technology to allow connectivity between devices with no configuration required.
Chirp’s ultrasonic machine-to-machine communications software utilizes any device with a loudspeaker or microphone to exchange data using sound waves. It provides connectivity without requiring changes to a product’s bill of material, provided that an audio input/output interface is already present. The SDK can be used in presence detection, interactive toys, smart home devices, and various industrial applications.
The technology brings devices onto a wireless network using a configuring device—often a mobile phone. The phone encodes network credentials into an ultrasonic signal using the Chirp SDK. The signal is received by the offline device’s microphone, allowing it to connect to the network without any additional setup. The SDK functions completely offline without requiring network access, and without recording or storing any metadata on the device.
“Partnering with DSP Group to extend the use of dataoversound for smart consumer applications underscores the power of sound as a versatile and cost-effective means of enhancing connectivity,” said Chirp CEO James Nesfield.
“Chirp’s data-over-sound technology can easily be deployed on our voice processors to provide our customers both a quick scalable solution for device setup and configuration, as well as more options to take advantage of ultra-wide-bandwidth sound sensing, detection and processing in the smart home. As such, we are excited and look forward to working with Chirp and our customers to take full advantage of this new capability,” added DSP Group’s Yosi Brosh.