News & Events

New DSP Engineer: Rahul Shakya

August 28, 2018/in Company News /by Zarina

Listen welcomes on board our new DSP Engineer, Rahul Shakya. Rahul holds a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering and Mathematics from Trinity College, Hartford, and an MSc and a PhD in Electrical Sciences and Computer Engineering from Brown University. Rahul brings strong Audio DSP skills to his role at Listen, with several years’ experience as a graduate and post-doctoral researcher at Brown University where he worked on a diverse range of and DSP, Speech and audio processing research topics.

Seminar: Smarter Measurements for Smarter Speakers – Denmark

July 12, 2018/in Past Training Events /by Zarina

Smarter speakers require smarter test methods!

smart_speakers Learn how to test smart speakers, robots, voice-controlled automotive audio and other IoT devices in our practical half-day seminar taught by industry expert Steve Temme of Listen, Inc., with additional information on microphone and hardware products for testing these devices from G.R.A.S.

Although acoustic testing of smart speakers and other voice-activated devices presents challenges such as injecting and extracting response signals, time delays, and triggering the system using voice commands, it is still possible to measure the same parameters as traditional loudspeakers, In addition we can also measure microphone array performance, speakerphone performance and more.

We demonstrate how to do this, focusing on:

Stimulating and capturing responses from a device where you don’t have direct access to the microphone or speaker (open loop testing).
Delays, asynchronous stimulus / acquisition, and working with the ‘cloud’
Testing with real world signals such as speech and music, and how to analyze results from these test stimuli
Voice Recognition – key word spotting, wake word testing, directionality, and the effect of background noise on voice recognition performance
Telephony – testing smart speakers for hands-free calling
Microphones, artificial mouths and other hardware for smart speaker testing

There is no charge for this one-day seminar and lunch will be provided. There will also be a factory tour of G.R.A.S. Space is limited, so please RSVP today.

Location and Date:

Holte (Copenhagen area), Denmark. Friday September 28th, 2018 – 9.00am – 3.00pm. GRAS Sound & Vibration A/S, Skovlytoften 33, DK-2840 Holte, Denmark

Agenda (9am-3.00pm)

Introduction
Equipment for Smart Speaker Testing
- Listen Product Overview
- GRAS Product Overview
  - Choosing the right microphone for smart speaker testing environments (far field vs near field vs unconventional environments)
  - When to use a Mouth Simulator vs Head and Torso Simulator for testing
Open Loop Testing
- What is ‘open loop’ testing?
- Can you really measure frequency response and harmonic distortion in an open loop?
- Using Frequency Shifting to time align asynchronous stimuli and response
- Working with cloud based services
Testing with Real World Signals
- How to use real voice and / or non test tones to evaluate acoustic performance
- Analysis techniques used for evaluating non test tone stimuli
Voice Recognition
- Key Word spotting / Wake Up word testing
- Room effects, environmental distractors, and SNR…how they affect voice recognition performance
- Measuring directionality
Networking lunch
Telephony
- What voice quality metrics are important for speakerphones?
- Challenges of testing speakerphones in different environments
GRAS Factory tour (optional)

Reserve your space

SoundCheck 16 New Features Video

June 22, 2018/in Product News, Product Webinars /by Zarina

In this short 10 minute video, sales engineer Les Quindipan gives a brief overview and demonstration of the new features and functionality of SoundCheck 16.

Seminars in UK and Germany: The Challenges of Testing Speech Controlled Audio Systems

May 23, 2018/in Past Training Events /by Zarina

Your devices got smarter. Did your test system?

Learn how to implement open loop tests for both playback and recording in a range of devices including smart speakers, automotive audio, robots, IoT devices and more in this practical half-day seminar.

Open loop testing (testing devices where inputs and outputs are independent) enables many types of smart devices and their components to be tested in various formats and situations including:

Smart speakers, smart watches and other smart devices
Microphone arrays
Speech recognition systems with microphones
In-vehicle audio systems
Audio devices/systems with no physical inputs or outputs
Testing in noisy environments

We explain how to measure the same parameters as traditional loudspeakers, discussing such challenges as injecting and extracting response signals, time delays, and triggering the system using voice commands. We also demonstrate how to measure microphone array performance, speakerphone performance and more. Course content includes:

Stimulating and capturing responses from a device where you don’t have direct access to the microphone or speaker (open loop testing).
Delays, asynchronous stimulus / acquisition, and working with the ‘cloud’
Testing with real world signals such as speech and music, and how to analyze results from these test stimuli
Voice Recognition – key word spotting, wake word testing, directionality, and the effect of background noise on voice recognition performance
Telephony – testing smart speakers for hands-free calling

There is no charge for this one-day seminar and lunch will be provided. Space is limited, so please RSVP today.

Locations and Dates:

UK: Tuesday Sept 25th, Sharnbrook Hotel, Bedford, England. The Sharnbrook Hotel, Park Lane (off A6), Sharnbrook Bedfordshire MK44 1LX. Note: If you need to stay here overnight, tell them you are with the ACSoft group to take advantage of a discounted rate.

Germany: Thursday Sept 27th, NH München Ost Conference Center, Einsteinring 20, 85609 Aschheim, Germany.

Full Agenda (9am-4.00pm)

Introduction to Open Loop Testing
- What is it?
- What Kinds of Analysis Can Be Done?
  - Classic Acoustic Testing: Frequency Response and Distortion
    - Stimulus Signals
    - Distortion Methods: THD, THD+N, Rub & Buzz (Squeak & Rattle), Perceptual Rub & Buzz, Non-Coherent Distortion
- Mixing Digital and Analog Units
- Capturing Signals Asynchronous to the Stimulus
- Dealing with Triggering, playback and recording Delays, digital clock Resampling, and corresponding Frequency Shift
Open Loop Applications for Playback
- Smart Devices
  - Frequency Response and Distortion
  - Directionality
- Automotive
  - 6 Mic Tree for Audio Tuning
  - Distortion methods
  - HATS for Impulse Response Testing @ seated position
Networking Lunch
Open Loop Applications for Recording
- Smart Devices
  - Frequency Response and Distortion
  - Voice Recognition
  - Directionality
- Automotive
  - Frequency Response and Distortion (general and to ITU P.11xx)
  - SNR placement study
  - Impulse Response function from HATS mouth -> microphone
  - Directionality
Handsfree Communications
- Terminology for Handsfree Communications
- Introduction to Telephony Metrics
GRAS Product Overview
- Choosing the right microphone for your application (far field vs near field vs unconventional environments)
- When to use a Mouth Simulator vs Head and Torso Simulator for testing

Presenters:

Steve Temme – Listen, Inc.

Cupertino SoundCheck Training – Sept 10-11, 2018

May 22, 2018/in Past Training Events /by Zarina

Unleash your audio test skills with our popular 2 day SoundCheck training course in Cupertino, CA on Sept 10-11.

In this class, we start with the basics – how to set up your system, calibrate your hardware and use the virtual instruments. We then focus on how to develop and modify test sequences, starting with stimulus, analysis and display options, and progressing to more advanced functionality such as sequence loops and jumps, statistics, and advanced post-processing. The class is a combination of classroom-style teaching and hands on practical sessions, so that when you leave the class you will be ready to go in practice as well as in theory.

This hands-on class covers all the major features of SoundCheck version 16, including writing sequences, test signals, analysis, distortion measurements and more. The class is a combination of presentations interspersed with hands-on exercises to ensure that you are comfortable with all the concepts and methods taught before you leave the classroom. Although no previous SoundCheck experience is assumed, the course still offers plenty to users familiar with writing basic sequences. Content includes:

Overview of SoundCheck software
- Software Options
Hardware
- Configuring audio interfaces and external equipment
- Listen Certified Sound Cards
Calibration
- Calibration of different DUT types (telephones, speakers, etc.)
Virtual instruments
- Spectrum Analyzer, RTA, Multi-meter, Signal Generator, Oscilloscope
- Virtual Instruments – hands-on
Online forum, bug and wish lists
SoundCheck Steps & Sequences
- Philosophy & Architecture
- Creating and editing SoundCheck Test Sequences and Steps
- Using the Sequence Wizard
- Stimulus & Acquisition Step details
- Basic analysis
- Display
- Data Management Hands-on
- Limits
- Sequence Development – hands-on
- Printing
- Serial numbers
- Autosave and recall
- Messages – user prompts, calling external devices
- Post-processing
- Sequence Development (part 2) – hands-on
- Statistics
- Sequence loops and jumps
- Advanced sequence development

Course presenters: Mark Latshaw, Cam Ruffle-Deignan – Listen, Inc.
Cost: $950 ($665 with valid SoundCheck support contract)

Location / Dates / Time
Hilton Garden Inn, 10741 N Wolfe Rd, Cupertino, CA 95014
Sept 10-11, 2018. Coffee / snacks / sign-in starts at 8:00 AM and the training course runs from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM each day.

Register Now

New Support Engineer: Cam Ruffle-Deignan

May 18, 2018/in Company News /by Zarina

Listen has expanded its support team with the addition of Cam Ruffle-Deignan. Cam has recently graduated with a BSME from the University of Vermont where he spent his time doing applied polymer research, playing intramural sports, and working in a student-run prototyping lab. He has a keen interest in audio products, having interned for Listen last summer, and looks forward to continue developing his audio test skills. Cam will assist Steve, Mark and Mark in providing front line support to our customers, as well as developing training materials, test sequences and support documentation. When he is not in the office, Cam enjoys going for canoe trips, hiking north-eastern mountain ranges, and tinkering with his 3D printer.

New Operations Director: Eric Johnson

May 18, 2018/in Company News /by Zarina

Listen has strengthened its infrastructure with the appointment of Eric Johnson to the role of Operations Director. In addition to internal administrative functions such as HR and facilities management, Eric manages the entire operations team including product supply and finance to ensure that all customer requirements are met efficiently and effectively. Eric has spent his career optimizing business operations for growing technology companies, most recently at Sophelle where he held the position of VP and COO. Eric holds a Bachelor’s in Chemistry from Lawrence University and a Master’s in Information Resources Management from Syracuse University. Outside of work, Eric enjoys photography, listening to music, homebrewing, and cooking for his wife, Jo Anne.

Seminar: Smarter Measurements for Smarter Speakers – Chicago and Boston

May 15, 2018/in Past Training Events /by Zarina