Yahoo Finance Knowles (KN) Unveils Voice Sensor for Greater Sound Clarity
Knowles Corporation KN recently unveiled a digital voice vibration sensor to improve sound clarity in noisy environments. Dubbed V2S200D, this high bandwidth, low-power vibration sensor works in conjunction with microphones to suppress surrounding sounds and accentuate the speaker’s voice to improve the call quality.
Consumer audio devices such as True Wireless Stereo (TWS) earbuds for voice communication on the move are much in vogue. These often lead to muffled communication in public places. In addition, high winds and traffic snarls diffuse the sound clarity with unwanted noises that are, at times, difficult to remove with traditional noise suppression techniques.
This is where V2S200D comes in handy with its unique ability to selectively pick up the speaker’s voice while suppressing all other sounds. Together with TWS microphones, it offers a consistent sound quality along with features such as voice activity detection, imposter rejection and personalization.
The product’s small size, high signal-to-noise ratio and low power consumption attributes further make it a compelling option for OEMs to enhance user experience. Moreover, a digital mic with Pulse Density Modulation interface for seamless hardware integration and software development is likely to increase its appeal as Knowles aims for mass production later this year.
Leveraging its leading position in MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical systems) microphones and strong capabilities in audio processing technologies, Knowles optimizes audio systems and improves user experience in mobile, ear and IoT applications. Its MEMS microphone is the smallest of its kind, with the highest signal-to-noise ratio at the lowest power, while the balanced armature speakers offer the greatest output at the lowest power.
Proprietary manufacturing techniques and global scale of operations have facilitated the company to fine-tune its business with the evolving customer demands and invest in high-value solutions. The transformation from an acoustic component supplier to an audio solutions provider has enabled the company to migrate to higher-value solutions and increase content per device. This, in turn, has empowered it to capitalize on the positive macro trends in audio and edge processing solutions.
Moreover, voice-powered interactions are fast emerging as a critical and necessary feature as consumers tend to engage with technology through natural, spoken commands across mobile, ear and IoT platforms. This has led to a wide proliferation of products ranging from mobile phones to headsets and smart speakers to household appliances. Knowles aims to capitalize on its unique capabilities in acoustics, digital signal processing and algorithms to cater to these demands.
Knowles boasts an integrated design and manufacturing scale of operations. The company has a unique ability to balance and shift between full and semi-automation to optimize the efficiency of operations and reduce operating expenses. For products introduced more than 18 months ago, Knowles strives to offset expected price erosion through bill of material cost reductions, yield improvements, equipment efficiency and movement to lower-cost manufacturing locations.
The stock has lost 15.3% over the past year against the industry’s growth of 4.9%.
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Knowles currently carries a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell).
You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Key Picks
Arista Networks, Inc. ANET, sporting a Zacks Rank #1, is likely to benefit from the strong momentum and diversification across its top verticals and product lines. The company has a software-driven, data-centric approach to help customers build their cloud architecture and enhance their cloud experience. Arista has a long-term earnings growth expectation of 14.2% and delivered an earnings surprise of 14.2%, on average, in the trailing four quarters.
It holds a leadership position in 100-gigabit Ethernet switching share in port for the high-speed datacenter segment. Arista is increasingly gaining market traction in 200- and 400-gig high-performance switching products and remains well-positioned for healthy growth in data-driven cloud networking business with proactive platforms and predictive operations.
Juniper Networks, Inc. JNPR carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). It has a long-term earnings growth expectation of 7% and delivered an earnings surprise of 1.6%, on average, in the trailing four quarters.
Juniper is leveraging the 400-gig cycle to capture hyperscale switching opportunities inside the data center. The company is set to capitalize on the increasing demand for data center virtualization, cloud computing and mobile traffic packet/optical convergence.
Nokia Corporation NOK, carrying a Zacks Rank #2, is another key pick. By unlocking network efficiencies with a software upgrade, Nokia has reduced the total cost of ownership for mobile operators. The company is well-positioned for the ongoing technology cycle, given the strength of its end-to-end portfolio.
It has a long-term earnings growth expectation of 1.8% and delivered an earnings surprise of 9.7%, on average, in the trailing four quarters. Nokia is witnessing healthy momentum in its focus areas of software and enterprise, which augurs well for the licensing business. It is poised to benefit from copper and fiber deployments of passive optical networking.
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