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ROCKVILLE, Md. and BERLIN, Dec. 13, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- CEVA, Inc. (NASDAQ: CEVA), the leading licensor of wireless connectivity and smart sensing technologies and integrated IP solutions, and Mimi Hearing Technologies, the global leader in hearing wellbeing, announced today they will partner to bring Mimi's advanced hearing IP to the CEVA Bluebud wireless audio platform.

Aimed at democratizing the fast-growing assistive hearing market, the collaboration lowers the entry barrier for the development of assistive hearables and TWS headphones that can offer a safe, customizable audio experience for each individual user. The companies will showcase Mimi Sound Personalization at the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, NV, January 5-8, 2022.

Assistive hearables are fast becoming an affordable over-the-counter alternative to medical-grade hearing aids and address the growing demand for individuals who require some level of hearing correction. Juniper Research anticipates that more than 92 million assistive hearables will ship in 2024, showing a 46% CAGR between 2020 and 2024. Moreover, it is expected that smart hearable technology will be adopted by the majority of TWS earbuds and headsets, further expanding the market for sound personalization software in the coming years.

Mimi's Sound Personalization technology works by assessing the listener's hearing ability in minutes with the Mimi Hearing Test. After the test a Mimi Hearing ID is created and stored in the headphones, adjusting the sound to the user's unique hearing profile wherever they listen. As a result, more sounds become audible again, and details otherwise lost are restored, creating a more immersive and intelligible audio experience.

CEVA's Bluebud DSP-enabled wireless audio platform addresses the technology complexities of developing smart TWS and wireless headphone audio ICs. It provides a drop-in IP solution for semiconductors and system companies that can be easily enhanced and differentiated through the integration of software on the onboard CEVA-BX1 DSP. By porting the sound personalization technology to Bluebud, CEVA and Mimi are opening up the wireless audio market to offer value-add assistive hearing features on any Bluebud-powered TWS IC, in a cost and power-efficient manner.

"From the over two million hearing individual hearing tests conducted with our Mimi Hearing Test app, we know everyone hears differently and this is what drives us to bridge the gap between hearing and audio," noted Mimi CEO, Philipp Skribanowitz. "Partnering with CEVA, the world's leader in Bluetooth audio platform IP, is an important step towards the proliferation of our sound personalization software. Their stellar customer base and market reach in the earbuds space is second to none, and together we can bring the power of assistive hearing to the masses."

"The hearables market is undergoing rapid growth, as are the breadth of technologies incorporated within these incredible products," said Moshe Sheier, Vice President of Marketing at CEVA. "Assistive hearing and sound personalization are two of the most exciting areas for consumers these days, and our partnership with Mimi aims to deliver the optimal hearing experience for every user. Our Bluebud wireless audio platform inherently streamlines TWS and headphones audio IC development and its ability to support software like Mimi Sound Personalization enables OEMs and ODMs to truly differentiate their customers audio experience."

Source: PRNewswire -- CEVA, Inc.