California's xMEMS Labs launched a solid-state micro-speaker last year that was designed to bring full-range sound to open earphones. Now the Sycamore has been tweaked to produce "the world's thinnest speaker designed specifically for wrist-worn wearables."
Smartwatch makers are cramming more and more functionality into a wearable form factor that won't bulk up the wrist or require workouts at the gym just to lift the thing. As such, internal real estate is at a premium, and xMEMS says that its new Sycamore-W design cuts down the volume of a speaker package by as much as 70% – leaving more room for sensors and larger batteries.
The company notes that where legacy coil speakers for such applications can come in at 3 to 4 mm thick and weigh up to 3 g, this near-field MEMS micro speaker measures 20 x 4 x 1.28 mm (0.78 x 0.15 x 0.05 in) and barely moves the needle at 150 mg.
It works by employing thin-film piezo actuators to excite a silicone membrane, which produces sound waves. The developers reckon that the design requires less back volume than small-form dynamic drivers, but boasts a similar mid-bass response while also delivering punchy performance at the higher registers.
The solid-state design is durable too, able to withstand up to 10,000 g shocks and has component-level protection against dust ingress to IP58 standards. "These qualities make it ideal for active lifestyle wearables and outdoor-oriented smartwatches and fitness bands," reads the launch press release.
Samples are now being made available to early access device manufacturers, with volume production slated for Q2 2026. Additional application-specific variants of the Sycamore architecture are expected to be announced later in the year.
"Sycamore-W redefines audio for smart watches, combining compact design with robust performance to meet the demands of next-generation wearables," said Mike Housholder, xMEMS VP of Marketing and Business Development. "As the wrist becomes a key interface for ears-free, hands-free AI interactions, Sycamore-W empowers manufacturers to deliver premium audio in smaller, lighter, more durable devices.”
Other recent developments of note from xMEMS include a silicon MEMS tweeter for wireless earbuds that "delivers up to 115dB SPL in the 6kHz to 20kHz frequency range from a standard 1Vrms audio output, without the need for additional amplification." And the expansion of its µCooling fan-on-a-chip platform into AI data centers.
Source: xMEMS Labs
