Join us at CES 2026 as Fraunhofer IIS showcases how intelligent audio technologies are transforming everyday life. From crystal-clear communication to immersive entertainment and enhanced accessibility, our innovations are designed with market demands in mind.
Meet us in our two suites on Floor 34 of The Venetian Hotel, where we host exclusive meetings and showcase our latest developments. CES takes place January 6-9, 2026.
No matter where you are, Fraunhofer's codecs make audio and voice transmissions more intelligible, reliable, efficient, and accessible. From everyday streaming and TV broadcasting to wireless audio transmissions, to mission-critical communication, our solutions ensure reliable, high-quality delivery of speech and sound across all environments and device classes.
Make sure to experience our highlight exhibit in this suite: NESC, an AI-based voice codec developed to meet the most demanding transmission requirements of satellite communication.
Fraunhofer NESC: Ultra Efficient AI-based Voice Codec for Reliable D2D Satellite Communication
At only 1 kbit/s or less, our NESC codec enables efficient and robust voice transmission in areas where reception is only possible via direct-to-device satellite connectivity making universal coverage a reality. NESC helps to facilitate NTN voice services over GEO, MEO and LEO constellations ranging from emergency services, audio messaging applications to satellite voice services that are comparable in quality to terrestrial calls. Fraunhofer NESC with its market leading coding efficiency is ready for commercial deployment at scale by SNOs and MNOs today.
Efficient audio streaming and RCS voice messaging with xHE-AAC
xHE-AAC is the latest generation of the renowned AAC codec line that OTT providers including Audible, Netflix, Facebook Stories, and Instagram Reels rely on to deliver their content to billions of consumers. The technology is natively supported in iOS, Android OS, Vega & Fire OS, as well as Windows 11. It provides DASH/HLS streaming at 12-320+ kbit/s, mandatory loudness and dynamic range control, and improved speech quality as well as stereo imaging.
Fraunhofer IIS is also excited to share that xHE-AAC is now part of the GSMA’s RCS Universal Profile 3.1. For mobile network operators, this marks a major step forward in delivering high-quality audio messaging to users—right within their native messaging apps. RCS (Rich Communication Services) is designed to modernize text messaging by adding features such as group chats, file sharing, and chatbots. With the latest update, it now supports audio messages encoded with xHE-AAC. That means clearer voice notes, better intelligibility, stereo audio, and a more consistent listening experience.
LC3plus: High-Quality Audio for Wireless Devices
LC3plus by Fraunhofer IIS addresses the drawbacks of today's wireless communication platforms. The low complexity of the codec meets the requirements of wireless communication platforms such as Bluetooth, DECT, and VoIP terminals. The extremely low delay of the technology makes it ideal for high-end gaming headsets and audio systems and the improved robustness ensures interruption-free phone calls. The Lossless mode of LC3plus ensures perfect audio delivery in high-end wireless HiFi systems which earned it the entry into the list of codecs that are qualified for the Japan Audio Society Hi-Res Audio logo. LC3plus powers many consumer and pro audio products from leading brands including Sony, Harman, Bang & Olufsen, TCL, Vizio and Creative.
MPEG-H Audio: Personalized Immersive Sound
MPEG-H Audio is the future of immersive and accessible media. It brings 3D audio to life with interactive features that let users personalize sound: adjusting dialogue levels, switching languages, or adapting the playback to their environment.
MPEG-H Audio is the mandatory Next Generation Audio (NGA) system for broadcast in Brazil and has also been adopted for the next-generation terrestrial TV standards of South Korea and Japan. It is already widely supported in professional production tools as well as in consumer devices like soundbars and AVRs, Set-Top-Boxes and TVs by Hisense and LG.
In this suite, we demonstrate how intelligent audio processing technologies from our upHear range enrich daily life, whether you are on the go, watching a movie, joining a call, or gaming.
upHear Microphone Processing: Clear Sound from the Start
From AI-based noise reduction and echo cancellation to voice isolation and spatial audio capturing, upHear Microphone Processing ensures the cleanest possible audio signals. These technologies are designed to work across a wide range of devices, from mobile phones to conferencing systems, making voice communication clearer and more natural.
A joint demo with IVAS (Immersive Voice and Audio Services) showcases enhanced mobile communication. IVAS is the new 3GPP codec for immersive voice transmission over mobile networks. Together, the technologies demonstrate how capturing, encoding, and transmitting discrete voice objects with 3D positional metadata in real time can transform traditional phone calls into rich, lifelike acoustic experiences.
upHear Home Entertainment Solutions: Easy and Accessible Audio Experiences
Experience how upHear transforms entertainment at home. Among the featured demos, upHear Live Dialogue Boost enhances speech clarity by separating clean dialogue from background sounds in real time. It improves the intelligibility of spoken content in movies, sports, and user-generated media, making voices clearer and more distinct.
With upHear Flexible Rendering, you can freely position your speakers throughout the space and effortlessly add or remove them, as the system automatically adapts to the current playback setup. The technology distributes enhanced sound to all speakers available – no matter which brand or model. It supports modern immersive audio formats and provides first-class upmixing for legacy content, delivering a spectacular enveloping effect at all times. Its inherent flexibility bears the option for effortless system growth, making it budget friendly.
upHear Mobile & Gaming Audio: Premium Sound in Challenging Situations
From immersive mobile playback to dynamic gaming environments, upHear technologies like Cingo deliver immersive and personalized audio experiences. Whether on earphones, loudspeakers, or gaming headsets, upHear ensures a rich and responsive sound experience that enhances experiences from listening to music to playing your favorite game.
Fraunhofer IIS combines technological excellence with user-centered innovation to solve real-world challenges. Because sound should work for you.
Book your meeting now: We look forward to welcome you in our suites.
Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS