Low-power devices enable compact hearing aids

Starkey Laboratories, a world-leading manufacturer of custom hearing instruments, is using Zarlink's newest ultra-low-power ICs in its high-performance digital hearing aids.

Starkey Laboratories, a world-leading manufacturer of custom hearing instruments, is using Zarlink's newest ultra-low-power ICs in its high-performance digital hearing aids.

"Today's hearing aids must deliver higher levels of digital functionality, while maintaining their small size and consuming extremely low levels of power for prolonged battery life", said Tom Victorian, Vice President of Engineering, Starkey Laboratories.

"We designed Zarlink's ultra-low-power integrated circuits into our new hearing aids because they offer cost-effective, high performance".

Engineers from Starkey and Zarlink co-operated on developing two mixed-signal ASICs and one DSP ASIC for Starkey's product line.

Starkey is using all three of the Zarlink chips in its new BTE (behind the ear) hearing instruments, and two of the chips in its state-of-the-art CIC (completely in the canal) digital hearing instruments.

"We worked closely with Starkey's engineers to develop highly integrated ASICs and a complex DSP that achieve impressive levels of performance at very low power", said Steve Swift, Vice President and General Manager, Ultra Low-Power Communications, Zarlink Semiconductor.

"The result is a high-quality, multichip platform that sets the stage for further advances".

Zarlink's ultra low-power, mixed-signal ASICs are designed on a 0.35-micron CMOS technology.

The codec ASIC measures just 8.8mm2, and consumes only 600uA at 1.25V.

The DSP ASIC is produced in 0.18-micron CMOS, has a clock rate of 1.5MHz, and draws less than 150uA at 1.25V.

Zarlink is one of the world's leading independent suppliers of ultra-low-power ASICs used in medical applications, including hearing aids and pacemakers.

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