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Powering smarter hearables

Sensing sound, enhancing life with TDK sensing

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Enabling the next level in audio experience

Hearables bring intelligence to the ear - powering devices like true wireless earbuds, smart headphones, and assistive listening products that deliver immersive audio, seamless connectivity, and contextual awareness. By continuously sensing sound, motion, and user activity, hearables enable clearer communication, adaptive noise control, and more personalized listening experiences. 

TDK sensors powers the next generation of hearables with ultra-low-power MEMS microphones, motion sensors, and embedded software designed for always-on performance. Our solutions enable smaller form factors, longer battery life, and smarter audio experiences - from voice assistants and spatial audio to activity-aware sound processing. 

 

Hearable-ready sensing features

Motion, sound, and presence intelligence - optimized for power and performance
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Ultra-low power

Tiny MEMS microphones with ultra-low power consumption keep your hearables running longer without compromising performance 

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Crystal-clear voice

Advanced voice capture and noise suppression deliver clear calls and accurate voice commands in any environment 

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Compact & comfortable

Miniature sensors fit seamlessly into sleek earbuds and headphones, enhancing comfort and style 

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Spatial audio

High accuracy head orientation tracking enables 360 degree immersive sound  

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Vocal Vibration Detection (VVD)

Bone conduction using accelerometer for voice detection 

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Acoustic activity detection (AAD)

Ultra-low-power edge processing detects voice and acoustic events while minimizing system power consumption

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Intuitive device control

Gesture recognition and motion sensing enable responsive, touchless interaction

Featured video

SmartMotion® TWS solution demo

Watch a demo showcasing how TWS solution enables natural movement and gestures recognition using SmartMotion sensors.

Hearables that just sound better

Powering crystal-clear audio, smart voice control, and immersive experiences in next-generation hearables

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True wireless earbuds

Enable seamless listening and voice interaction

Compact hearables deliver immersive audio, voice interaction, and intelligent sound awareness. 

  • Enable voice calls, messaging, and voice assistant interaction 

  • Support immersive audio with spatial sound and adaptive listening 

  • Automatically adjust playback and modes based on activity and environment 

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Professional/ gaming headphones

Deliver intelligent and immersive listening experiences

Professional/gaming headphones combine immersive sound with intelligent sensing and voice interaction. 

  • Deliver 360-degree spatial audio for music, entertainment, and gaming 

  • Support hands-free communication through voice interfaces 

  • Adapt sound settings based on activity, environment, and user preferences 

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Hearing assistance devices

Improve speech understanding and environmental awareness

Assistive hearables enhance speech clarity and environmental awareness. 

  • Improve speech clarity across conversations and environments 

  • Reduce background noise for focused listening 

  • Adapt automatically to changing acoustic conditions 

Explore our core sensing technologies for hearables

Sensors that power immersive audio, voice interaction, and intelligent hearables experiences

9 Axis

SmartMotion®

Motion awareness and interaction sensing for hearable platforms

SmartMotion MEMS sensors deliver precise motion and orientation data for hearable systems including true wireless earbuds, hearing assistance devices, and smart headphones. 

  • Enable head tracking and orientation sensing for immersive spatial audio experiences 
  • Support intuitive interaction through gesture recognition and motion-based controls 
  • Enable reliable speech detection with VibeSense360™ vocal vibration detection (VVD) 
ICM-45605
ICM-42670-P
Vibesense360
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SmartSound™

High-fidelity audio sensing for voice and acoustic interaction

SmartSound MEMS microphones capture voice and acoustic signals with exceptional clarity for hearable platforms including true wireless earbuds, hearing assistance devices, and smart headphones. 

  • Enable active noise cancellation with low-latency feedback and high-performance feed-forward microphones 
  • Support clear calls, voice assistants, and speech recognition with high-sensitivity audio capture 
  • Integrate easily into compact hearable designs with ultra-low power digital microphones 
T5838
T5848
T5837
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SmartMagnetics

Magnetic sensing with TMR and Hall sensors for device awareness and control

TMR and Hall sensors bring precise magnetic sensing to hearable devices.

SmartMagnetics TMR and Hall sensors provide reliable magnetic sensing for system awareness and user interaction in hearable platforms. 

  • Enable in-ear wear detection for automatic play and pause functionality 
  • Detect charging case open and close events for pairing and power management 
TMR sensorsHall sensors
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High-performance IMUs powering next-gen wearables

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ICM-45605

High-Precision 6-Axis MEMS MotionTracking® Device

The ICM-45605 is an ultra high‑performance 6‑axis MEMS motion sensor family with the world’s first BalancedGyro™ technology and lowest power consumption. The sensor combines a 3‑axis gyroscope and a 3‑axis accelerometer in a compact 2.5 × 3 × 0.81 mm package.

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Illustration of ICU-30201, MEMS ultrasonic time-of-flight sensor

ICU-30201

High-Performance Ultra-Compact Ultrasonic Time‑of‑Flight Sensor for Ultra-Long-Range Applications

The ICU-30201 is a high-performance ultrasonic Time-of-Flight sensor that is ideal for measuring the range of objects between 30cm and 9.5m, and offers a customizable field-of-view of up to 180º. It has a sample rate of 75 samples per second at 2 meters, and 18 samples per second at 9 meters. It comes in a 5.17 × 2.68 × 0.9 mm LGA package, and includes an integrated DSP for signal processing.

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Illustration of T5838, TDK MEMS microphone

T5838

Bottom Port PDM Digital Output Multi‑Mode Microphone

The T5838 is a low noise, high AOP digital Pulse Density Modulation (PDM) microphone using a fifth-order Σ‑Δ modulator. It also features Acoustic Activity Detect (AAD), a new ultra-low power edge processing feature consuming as low as 20 µA.

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Connect with engineers, ask questions, and share insights with the TDK developer community.

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Access technical articles, datasheets, and in-depth guides to accelerate your design process.

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FAQ

Find immediate answers to our most frequently asked questions about products, shipping, and more.

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