ON Semiconductor has selected Nordic Semiconductor’s nRF51822Bluetooth Smart system-on-chip (SoC) for its new Ezairo 7150 SL hybrid module – a system in a package (SiP) containing all required electronics to operate wireless-enabled hearing aids and cochlear implants.
The module is based on the Ezairo 7100 open-programmable 24-bit mixed-signal DSP platform optimised for audiology processing, and provides wireless multiprotocol operation required for both Bluetooth Smart and 2,4 GHz applications. Nordic’s nRF51822 SoC provides Bluetooth Smart wireless connectivity between the module and both iOS- and Android-compatible Bluetooth Smart Ready devices.
Ezairo 7150 SL allows hearing aid users to control their hearing aid’s parameters such as volume or other sound adjustments, check the battery status, receive alerts, and make program changes from their smartphone. It also features a ‘Find Me’ function to help users locate a misplaced hearing aid.
Thanks to the nRF51822’s multiprotocol support, Ezairo 7150 SL also supports low-latency stereo audio streaming using a 2,4 GHz-based proprietary protocol. This allows users to hear music via their hearing aid from any external audio source, for example their television set or smartphone, through an ancillary device. The device can also function as a remote microphone. The connectivity range is between 5 and 10 metres depending on surrounding conditions, while the low-latency link prevents any lip-sync issues from being observed while the user is watching television.
The nRF51822 SoC is available in a 6 by 6 mm 48-pin QFN package and three ultra compact wafer-level chip-scale packages (WLCSP), the smallest of which measures 3,5 by 3,33 mm. Ezairo 7150 SL, which measures 3,94 by 7,39 by 1,61 mm, uses a WLCSP version of the SoC, enabling ON Semiconductor to limit the size and weight of the hybrid module. It also features a low-power 2 Mb serial CMOS EEPROM to store hearing aid firmware and application parameters.
To accelerate the development of an Ezairo 7150 SL-based product, ON Semiconductor has provided a complete reference design of a behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aid. The reference design includes all the required hardware, including the antenna, as well as software and firmware that enable the advanced wireless features.
For more information contact Andrew Hutton, RF Design, +27 (0)21 555 8400, andrew@rfdesign.co.za, www.rfdesign.co.za
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