Nobi Selects ArkX Labs’ EveryWord™ Voice Capture for Next Gen Voice-enabled Smart Lamps

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nobi, an award-winning provider of smart lamps and lighting fixtures for fall prevention and detection, has selected ArkX Labs’ EveryWord™ AFE Module to upgrade its voice capture capabilities. Nobi’s innovative combination of built-in 24/7 motion sensors and innovative fall-detection camera technology immediately recognizes when a person falls, asks if they are okay, and if not, notifies their family or caregivers. If necessary, Nobi can even unlock the smart lock on the victim’s front door, so help can enter without additional delay. The addition of EveryWord’s advanced ultra far-field voice technology offers enhanced noise-canceling audio to filter out loud background sounds like a TV or radio so the resident and the trusted contact person can understand each other optimally.

Nobi devices are intended primarily for use with elderly persons living independently at home or in assisted living facilities and hospitals.

Nobi sought out the best available far-field voice capture because a person’s voice volume tends to be low after a fall, especially if that victim is injured. The Nobi solution required a voice capture device that could be optimized for H2M (human-to-machine) interactions for the initial fall detection and for H2H (human-to-human) interactions, allowing the victim to talk to family members or trusted contacts when requesting help. There was also the additional challenge of detecting a victim who may have fallen a significant distance from the Nobi device or where there are other noise interferences in the room—such as loud TV or other competing noise sources.

After extensive testing, Nobi chose the production-ready AFE module for their next generation (2nd gen) ceiling-mounted smart lamp based on its ability to capture voice commands 3X times the distance and across a room versus standard far-field solutions (>9 meters). The solution worked exceptionally well in noisy and reverberative homes or assisted living environments. It also has the unique ability to identify and suppress speech-competing noise sources giving the best voice communication experience to Nobi’s customers.

“Nobi is another great application of our advanced voice capture and control in patient care or Medtech devices that must perform accurately in loud reverberate spaces,” says ArkX Labs CEO Eric Bauswell.

Bauswell cited Lomar, a healthcare tech provider in Europe, and their recent launch of a patient care solution that allows patients to communicate freely, naturally, all hands-free, with the medical and healthcare staff outside the room.

ArkX Laboratories is a joint venture between product development pioneer Surfaceink and consumer electronics manufacturer Ark Electronics USA, created to bring an exceptional voice experience to the marketplace.