Audio systems in consumer electronics and automotive infotainment systems have become increasingly complex because of consumers’ rising demand for premium audio experiences. From perfectly tuned sound to flawless voice recognition, consumer expectations have forced brands to develop new product-differentiating audio features at a pace and scale we’ve never seen before. And that includes real-time audio subsystem design, where all of the audio processing must be completed within a fixed time period to avoid drop-outs and audio packet loss.
Developing real-time embedded audio systems involves a combination of software development and porting onto one or more hardware components, such as a system-on-a-chip (SoC), microcontroller, and specialized audio chips. It’s a complex process that requires an audio development platform with several mission-critical features. Here, we’ll explore exactly what features to look for when selecting a development tool for building real-time embedded audio systems.