Syntiant Shrinks AI Chips to Power a New Generation of Micro-Devices

IRVINE, Calif. – December 29, 2025 – In a significant move to embed artificial intelligence into ever-smaller devices, edge AI leader Syntiant Corp. today announced two new packaging options for its NDP115 Neural Decision Processor™. The development promises to accelerate the integration of advanced, always-on AI into a vast range of compact electronics, from high-volume consumer gadgets to sophisticated medical wearables.

The announcement introduces an embedded wafer-level ball grid array (eWLB) package designed to lower manufacturing costs for mass-market devices, and an ultra-thin package that shrinks the processor to a mere fraction of a millimeter in height. This dual strategy addresses two critical hurdles in the widespread adoption of edge AI: production cost and physical size, positioning Syntiant to capitalize on the booming market for intelligent, connected devices.

This expansion of the NDP115 portfolio is more than an incremental update; it represents a key enabler for the next wave of product design, where powerful processing capabilities are expected to be invisible, efficient, and seamlessly integrated into the fabric of daily life.

Democratizing AI for the Smart Home

A major part of Syntiant's strategy targets the high-volume consumer electronics market, where cost-efficiency is paramount. The new eWLB package for the NDP115 is engineered specifically to streamline manufacturing by being optimized for simple, two-layer printed circuit board (PCB) designs. For manufacturers of products like voice-enabled smart remotes, streaming media players, and other smart home devices, this is a game-changer. Reducing PCB complexity from four or more layers down to two directly translates into lower material costs and faster production cycles, making the inclusion of advanced AI features economically viable at scale.

The global edge AI market is projected to surge from nearly $25 billion in 2025 to over $66 billion by 2030, and hardware components like processors are the largest driver of this growth. By tackling the cost barrier, Syntiant is effectively democratizing access to sophisticated AI, allowing manufacturers to move beyond basic functions and offer richer user experiences. Powered by the company’s Core 2™ inference engine, the NDP115 chip can natively run complex neural networks for tasks such as environmental noise reduction, far-field speech recognition, and audio event classification, all while consuming exceptionally low power.

This move places Syntiant in a strong competitive position within a dynamic landscape. While companies like Ambiq Micro and AONDevices also champion ultra-low-power solutions, Syntiant’s focus on packaging optimized for mass-market manufacturing provides a distinct advantage for partners looking to deploy AI in millions of units.

The New Frontier: Invisible AI in Health and Wearables

Perhaps the most striking innovation is Syntiant's new ultra-thin package, which boasts a maximum height of just 0.31 millimeters. This remarkable feat of miniaturization, achieved by reducing wafer thickness and solder ball diameter, opens the door for powerful AI in devices where every micron matters. The primary targets are next-generation hearing aids, earbuds, and other micro-wearables that demand extreme compactness without compromising functionality or battery life.

For the burgeoning Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) market, this is a transformative development. Advanced hearing aids can now integrate on-device AI to perform real-time, sophisticated audio processing, separating speech from background noise with far greater accuracy. This processing happens directly on the device, ensuring privacy and eliminating the latency of cloud communication. The ultra-low power draw of the NDP115—running speech inferences at just 280 microwatts—is critical for these battery-powered devices, enabling them to be “always-on” and responsive without requiring constant recharging.

The trend toward discreet, “sentient wearables” that continuously monitor health metrics and provide personalized feedback is heavily reliant on such miniaturized, efficient processors. Syntiant’s technology enables the creation of devices that are not just smart, but practically invisible, blending seamlessly with the user’s life.

“As manufacturers look to integrate always-on intelligence into a wider range of products, Syntiant is enhancing the NDP115 portfolio with packaging options that diversify design choices,” said Nathan Nunley, product line director for NDP Hardware at Syntiant. “From consumer devices requiring streamlined PCB designs to wearable health tech requiring the thinnest form factor possible, the NDP115 packages enable our customers to design smarter, smaller and more efficient products that deliver advanced edge AI for voice and sound processing, without compromising comfort, battery life or cost.”

A Strategic Play in a Growing Ecosystem

Today's announcement is not an isolated event but part of a broader corporate strategy to establish Syntiant as a dominant force in end-to-end edge AI solutions. The company, backed by strategic investors like Intel Capital, Microsoft's M12, and the Amazon Alexa Fund, has been methodically building a powerful ecosystem.

Its recent acquisition of the Consumer MEMS Microphones division from Knowles Corporation is a testament to this strategy. By integrating high-performance SiSonic™ MEMS microphones with its own Neural Decision Processors and deep learning models, Syntiant can now offer a complete, highly optimized hardware and software stack for audio AI. This simplifies the development process for customers and ensures that all components work in harmony for peak performance and efficiency.

Furthermore, partnerships with industry leaders like Amazon for Alexa qualification, Arduino for developer boards, and Bosch for sensor integration demonstrate the company’s deep penetration across the technology landscape. The NDP115’s support for sensor fusion, allowing it to process data from accelerometers, magnetometers, and pressure sensors, further expands its utility beyond voice and audio into contextual awareness for industrial and consumer IoT applications.

With both new package options available now, Syntiant is poised to make an immediate impact. The company plans to showcase these and other innovations at CES 2026 in Las Vegas, offering a glimpse into a future where ambient intelligence is not just a concept, but a tangible, miniaturized reality embedded in the devices we use every day.