Amid the flurry of activity at Alif’s booth during Electronica 2024, the Auracast demonstration made visitors stop to take notice. This cutting-edge demo highlighted our Balletto MCU, the industry’s first Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) microcontroller (MCU) to feature a neural processing unit (NPU). 

Based on Bluetooth Core Specification version 5.2, LE Audio and Auracast offer a groundbreaking way to share audio based on the new high-quality, high-bitrate, low-complexity communications codec (LC3) audio codec. Auracast allows multiple users to connect seamlessly to a single audio source, enabling synchronized, high-quality streaming. With its combination of processing power, energy efficiency, and AI capabilities, the Balletto MCU unlocks possibilities previously thought unattainable in an ultra-low power device.

Alif’s booth at electronica 2024.

Inside the Auracast Demo

During the demonstration, Alif showcased audio streaming from its Balletto development kit (DK-B1) to commercially available Auracast-certified speakers and headphones. To illustrate the seamless integration of LE audio and media content, the demo showed how the audio stream maintained high fidelity and perfect synchronization with the video feed displayed on a monitor.

Impressively, the demo revealed the Balletto B1 MCU’s dual role as an audio transmitter and a receiver. In one scenario, LC3 encoded audio streamed wirelessly from the development kit to multiple endpoints where the receiver decoded the LC3 audio and played it back. In another, the same Balletto B1 MCU acted as the processing core inside a speaker, decoding the broadcasted LC3 audio stream and playing it back through the 3.5mm audio jack. 

An interview with the press at the Alif booth at Electronica 2024.

However, the applications for Auracast extend far beyond traditional audio use cases. Imagine walking into a museum and connecting your headset to the exhibit’s audio guide. Picture a stadium where fans can stream commentary directly to their devices or a classroom where every student receives clear, synchronized audio. The demo results are clear: Alif’s Balletto MCU makes these scenarios possible and practical, thanks to its low power consumption and robust connectivity. Whether in home audio systems or professional environments, Balletto can meet diverse market needs.

To learn more, watch Sree Durbha, Alif’s Senior Director of Product Marketing, discussing the demo at Electronica.

Why Balletto MCU Is a Game-Changer

The Balletto B1 MCU is a contender in the embedded marketplace. It integrates an Arm Cortex-M55 CPU with Helium-M vector extension, the Ethos-U55 NPU, and advanced BLE 5.3+ and 802.15.4 capabilities—all within a compact, energy-efficient package.  

Key technical highlights include:

• On-chip LC3 audio codec: Supports multi-stream encoding at up to 48 kHz to deliver studio-quality sound.
• Integrated AI/ML processing: Powers features like noise cancellation, keyword spotting, and audio beamforming.
• No external components required: Eliminates the need for separate audio DSP, secure elements, or memory components to simplify design and reduce cost.
• Hardware optimization: Delivers up to 2.5 times faster processing than traditional high-performance MCUs.

For manufacturers seeking to implement innovative audio and AI-driven functionalities in products such as wearables, earbuds, and IoT devices, the Balletto MCU is a winning choice. 

Announcing the Balletto B1 Development Kit

To support engineers and developers, Alif launched the Balletto B1 Development Kit (DK-B1). Available now, this kit provides a comprehensive platform for exploring the Balletto MCU’s capabilities. Developers can prototype applications featuring BLE audio streaming, real-time AI, and advanced signal processing—all with minimal setup.

The DK-B1’s ease of use accelerates the development cycle, speeding time-to-market for innovative solutions. Whether you’re building AI-driven earbuds or experimenting with new IoT audio applications, the DK-B1 provides the ideal starting point.

Shaping the Future of Audio and AI

Alif Semiconductor’s Auracast demo at Electronica provided a vision of what’s next in wireless audio. The Balletto MCU combines the best of BLE and AI, delivering an unmatched balance of performance, efficiency, and functionality. With the DK-B1 development kit now available, Alif is empowering engineers to turn that vision into reality.

Explore how the Balletto MCU can transform your next project. Visit Alif Semiconductor to learn more and get started with the DK-B1 Development Kit.