SILENSE · Project

Touchless Control Using Ultrasound Sensors for Cars, Smart Homes and IoT Devices

digitalTestedTRL 5

Imagine waving your hand in front of a car dashboard or a kitchen panel and having it respond — no touching, no screens, no buttons. That's what SILENSE built: tiny ultrasound sensors that can detect gestures and voice commands using the same cheap microphone chip. Think of it like a bat's echolocation, but miniaturized onto a chip small enough to fit inside your phone, your car steering wheel, or a light switch. The same sensor handles both voice and gesture, which means fewer parts, lower cost, and simpler devices.

By the numbers

consortium partners across the project

countries represented in the consortium

industry partners involved in development

SMEs participating in the project

53%

industry participation ratio in the consortium

total deliverables produced

The business problem

What needed solving

Consumer electronics, automotive, and smart building companies face growing demand for touchless, hygienic, and intuitive device control — but current solutions like cameras and radar are expensive, power-hungry, and bulky. Combining voice and gesture recognition typically requires multiple separate sensors, driving up cost and complexity. Companies need a single, low-cost sensor that can handle both voice and gesture input while being small enough for wearables and robust enough for cars.

The solution

What was built

The project built and validated ultrasound-based sensor systems that combine gesture and voice control through the same MEMS transducer arrays. Deliverables included improved acoustic transducers with better cost, performance, and power consumption; 3D packaging for heterogeneous integration; smart algorithms for sensing, localization, and communication; and demonstrator validation results (D6.4) across automotive, smart home, and mobile/IoT applications.

Audience

Who needs this

Tier 1 automotive suppliers developing next-generation cabin interfacesSmart home device manufacturers looking for cheaper gesture/voice controlIoT and wearable companies needing ultra-low-power touchless inputBuilding automation integrators seeking occupancy sensing solutionsConsumer electronics brands wanting to add gesture control without cameras

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Automotive electronics

enterprise

Target: Tier 1 automotive suppliers and car interior systems manufacturers

If you are a Tier 1 automotive supplier dealing with the shift toward touchless cabin controls — this project developed ultrasound-based gesture and voice recognition hardware that works through the same MEMS transducer array. The consortium of 34 partners, including 18 industry players, validated demonstrators for in-car touchless activation. This could replace costly capacitive touch panels with cheaper acoustic sensors that also handle voice commands.

Smart home and building automation

any

Target: Smart home device manufacturers and building management system integrators

If you are a smart home device maker struggling with sensor cost and complexity — this project developed ultrasound transducers that combine gesture and voice control in a single low-cost chip. Validated across 9 countries with demonstrator results, the technology enables touchless light switches, appliance controls, and room occupancy sensing. One sensor does the job of what previously required separate microphones, proximity detectors, and gesture modules.

Consumer electronics and wearables

SME

Target: IoT device manufacturers and wearable technology companies

If you are an IoT device manufacturer dealing with limited space and power budgets in wearables — this project developed miniaturized MEMS acoustic transducers with improved power consumption and 3D packaging integration. The 10 SMEs in the consortium tested these for mobile devices and wearable nodes. Smaller, cheaper, and lower-power than existing touch or optical sensors, these acoustic chips enable gesture control on devices too small for screens.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to integrate this ultrasound sensor technology into our products?

The project specifically targeted cost reduction of MEMS acoustic transducers compared to existing solutions. Based on available project data, the technology uses standard semiconductor processes with heterogeneous integration, which typically allows high-volume manufacturing at lower per-unit cost. Contact the consortium for specific pricing and licensing terms.

Can this scale to mass production volumes?

Yes — the coordinator is NXP Semiconductors, one of the world's largest semiconductor manufacturers. The project used standard MEMS fabrication and advanced 3D packaging concepts designed for industrial-scale production. With 18 industry partners involved, the path from demonstrator to volume production is well-established.

What is the IP situation and how can we license this?

The project was funded under ECSEL-RIA (Electronic Components and Systems), which typically allows consortium members to retain IP with licensing obligations. NXP Semiconductors Belgium coordinated the project. Specific licensing arrangements should be discussed directly with relevant consortium partners through SciTransfer.

How mature is this technology — is it ready for our product roadmap?

The project completed demonstrator performance and validation results (D6.4) across all its use cases. This puts the technology at a tested demonstrator stage, likely TRL 5-6. Integration into commercial products would require additional engineering and qualification, but the core technology blocks have been proven.

How does this compare to existing touchless control solutions like cameras or radar?

Acoustic transducers are simpler, smaller, and cheaper to integrate than camera-based or radar-based gesture systems. The key advantage demonstrated in this project is that the same MEMS transducer handles both voice and gesture recognition, eliminating the need for separate sensor modules. This reduces bill-of-materials cost and board space.

Does this meet automotive or consumer electronics regulations?

The project included testing and qualification of MEMS acoustic transducers, which is necessary for compliance. The automotive demonstrators were developed with industry partners across 9 countries. Based on available project data, specific certification details should be confirmed with the consortium.

Consortium

Who built it

SILENSE was coordinated by NXP Semiconductors Belgium, a major global chipmaker — which signals serious industrial intent, not just academic research. The consortium of 34 partners across 9 countries is unusually large and industry-heavy: 18 industry partners (53% of the consortium) and 10 SMEs, with only 7 universities and 9 research organizations providing the science backbone. This composition means the technology was developed with manufacturing and product integration in mind from day one. The geographic spread across AT, BE, CZ, DE, ES, FR, NL, NO, and UK covers major European automotive and electronics hubs. For a business considering this technology, the strong industry presence means there are established companies already familiar with the technology who could serve as integration partners or suppliers.

NXP SEMICONDUCTORS BELGIUM NVCoordinator · BE
BCB Informatica y Control S.L.participant · ES
COVENTOR SARLparticipant · FR
SYNOPSYS NETHERLANDS BVparticipant · NL
INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRIA AGparticipant · AT
NEDERLANDSE ORGANISATIE VOOR TOEGEPAST NATUURWETENSCHAPPELIJK ONDERZOEK TNOparticipant · NL
STIFTELSEN SINTEFparticipant · NO
COMMISSARIAT A L ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVESparticipant · FR
VERHAERT NEW PRODUCTS & SERVICES NVparticipant · BE
INTERUNIVERSITAIR MICRO-ELECTRONICA CENTRUMparticipant · BE
SOLMATES BVparticipant · NL
INSTITUT MIKROELEKTRONICKYCH APLIKACI SROparticipant · CZ
INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AGparticipant · DE
UNIVERSITAT LINZparticipant · AT
LINZ CENTER OF MECHATRONICS GMBHparticipant · AT
USTAV TEORIE INFORMACE A AUTOMATIZACE AV CR VVIparticipant · CZ
FUNDACION IDONIALparticipant · ES
NXP SEMICONDUCTORS FRANCEparticipant · FR
VYSOKE UCENI TECHNICKE V BRNEparticipant · CZ
SINTEF ASparticipant · NO
TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAT BERLINparticipant · DE
GRUPO ANTOLIN-INGENIERIA SAparticipant · ES
INSTITUT MINES-TELECOMparticipant · FR
NXP SEMICONDUCTORS NETHERLANDS BVparticipant · NL
SILICON AUSTRIA LABS GMBHparticipant · AT
LABORATORIOS ALPHA SAN IGNACIO PHARMA S.L. - ALPHASIPparticipant · ES
TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAET CHEMNITZparticipant · DE
ELLIPTIC LABORATORIES ASAparticipant · NO
CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBHparticipant · DE
TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITEIT EINDHOVENparticipant · NL
TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITEIT DELFTparticipant · NL

How to reach the team

NXP Semiconductors Belgium NV coordinated this project. SciTransfer can facilitate a warm introduction to the right technical contact within the consortium.

Order a report on this consortium See NXP SEMICONDUCTORS BELGIUM NV profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore how ultrasound sensor technology from SILENSE could solve your touchless control challenges? SciTransfer can connect you with the right consortium partner, provide a detailed technology brief, and arrange an introductory call — so you get answers fast without navigating 34 partners on your own.

Order a report on this topic More in Digital & ICT