Fujitsu puts single chip mike into notebooks for better phone calls

Fujitsu is putting a high performance digital microphone from Akustica a Carnegie Mellon spin-off, into its Q2010 notebook, the first design win for Akustica.

Microphones in laptops, cell phones and MP3 players/voice recorders are largely Electret Condenser Microphones. ECMs are analog devices, which mean they capture real-world sound waves with a membrane and transmit them to an analog-to-digital converter. To prevent signal interference or noise, ECMs have to be insulated from wires and components.

The membrane in Akustica's AKU2000 is a chip made on standard silicon processes. Ultimately, the chip could lead to better voice quality on Skype phones embedded in laptops or more distinct sound on video captured by digital cameras.