Applications

Fraunhofer IIS audio communication technologies dramatically improve the overall audio quality of any communication application, including mobile voice over IP services, next generation video and teleconferencing systems, telepresence systems at home as well as broadcasting equipment.

Video- and Teleconferencing

Today's users of video- and teleconference systems expect superb audio quality with no compromises in usability and utility. By employing Fraunhofer's Audio Communication Engine, manufacturers of video- and teleconferencing systems, devices and software can deliver CD-like quality with hands-free, full-duplex ease-of-use. Using stereo or multi-channel set-ups, conference participants can be localized, which leads to an even more natural and appealing communication experience.

Broadcasting Equipment

Broadcast studios need to be able to transmit audio from remote locations with low delay and in CD-like quality, often using unpredictable IP network connections. Fraunhofer's Audio Communication Engine allows manufacturers of broadcast equipment to develop robust audio transmission products for their markets quickly and cost-effectively, giving journalists greater flexibility for live, on-site reporting over any available IP network.

Availability

The Audio Communication Engine is now available for evaluation and licensing. Fraunhofer IIS offers evaluation software for Windows, Mac OS and Linux, as well as hardware devices.

The components of the Audio Communication Engine are also available as stand-alone technologies.

For a quick overview, the pdf file below provides a summary of our product offering:

• Availability chart audio and video products Fraunhofer IIS (PDF, 2 pages)

Background

Fraunhofer’s individual components of audio communication modules have been integrated in an Audio Communication Engine Software Development Kit (SDK) as a highly optimized all-in-one solution. This optimized solution allows for an efficient setup of a high-quality audio communication system and for simple and easy integration into existing applications requiring only little implementation effort.

The Audio Communication Engine SDK includes the following components, which also are available as stand-alone technologies:

Low-Delay Audio Codecs

• MPEG Low Delay AAC (AAC-LD)
• MPEG Enhanced Low Delay AAC (AAC-ELD)

Acoustic Echo Control

The Acoustic Echo Control module is an innovative technology from Fraunhofer IIS which improves audio quality by enabling reliable and consistent prevention of disturbing echoes. The new acoustic echo control’s unparalleled set of features include:

• Support for mono, stereo, and multi-channel signals
• High audio quality during single and double talk
• Support of full audio bandwidth (48 kHz sampling rate)
• A noise reduction module
• Echo suppression up to 60 dB
• Robust adaption to changing acoustic backgrounds and varying echo paths
• Low complexity for low-power implementations

• White paper Acoustic Echo Control from Fraunhofer IIS (pdf) [ PDF 318KB ]

Low-Delay IP streaming system

To significantly improve the audio performance of existing networking equipment using its Audio Communication Engine, Fraunhofer IIS has created a new Low-Delay IP Streaming System to enhance connectivity. The system delivers optimized audio quality even under adverse network conditions such as packet loss and jitter. The component’s main features include:

• Sophisticated error concealment that guarantees good speech intelligibility at up to a 30 percent packet loss rate (understandable speech at up to 50 percent packet loss rate)
• Adaptive jitter buffer control to optimize the trade-off between buffering-delay and late-loss
• Log and trace files for remote analysis and debugging

Videos

A technological revolution from Fraunhofer IIS

With the Fraunhofer Audio Communication Engine you can't beam people into your living room, but you can talk to them as if they were really there however far away they might be.

• play video

Fraunhofer IIS at Mobile World Congress 2010

Fraunhofer demonstrates the world’s first CD quality mobile phone calls

• play video

Demo

Acoustic Echo Control

• Acoustic Echo Control
  Prevents disturbing echoes for hands-free conferencing.

Error Concealment Technology

• Error Concealment Technology
  Guarantees good speech intelligibility even with poor network connectivity.

High-quality low delay audio codec

• High-quality low delay audio codec AAC-ELD
  AAC-ELD enables high-quality communication applications.

Related press releases

• May 2011: Superior sound for telephones, mobile and related devices (www.fraunhofer.de)
• 02/15/2011: Fraunhofer Presents First True HD Communication over 4G Networks to Eliminate Distance Barriers in Communication
• 08/30/2010: Fraunhofer Presents HD Video Conferencing to Deliver Natural Communication Experiences to the Home
• 02/02/2010: Fraunhofer demonstrates the world's first CD quality mobile phone calls
• 12/16/2009: Fraunhofer IIS licenses Acoustic Echo ­Control and high performance audio codec to Teliris
• 02/23/2009: Fraunhofer Audio Communication engine for teleconferencing at Cebit 2009
• 04/02/2008 Comrex offers AAC-ELD for Access Codecs
• 02/11/2008 Fraunhofer audio technology for a new communication experience
• 04/25/2007 Texas Instruments Drives High-Definition Voice Across IP Networks
• 09/04/2007 Telos Showcases New IP Codec at IBC based upon Fraunhofer IIS Innovations
• 04/12/2007 Cisco TelePresence System uses Fraunhofer IIS AAC-Low Delay Audio Coding to Deliver High Quality Meeting Experiences
• 09/07/2006 Codian’s Conferencing Products Use Fraunhofer IIS Audio Codecs
• 08/01/2006 Fraunhofer IIS is licensing MPEG-4 Low Delay Codec to Source Elements LLC
• 04/20/2006 Fraunhofer IIS is licensing MPEG-4 audio codecs to Comrex