Startup Zone at Sensors Converge features Upbeat and others

Alongside major sensors companies exhibiting next week at Sensors Converge 2026, smaller companies will also be making their splash in the Startup Zone. 

Included in the Startup group is Taiwan-based Upbeat Technologies, with more than 50 employees and projected 2026 revenues of up to $20 million. The company announced Tuesday it will showcase “the world’s smallest AI-powered MEMS vibration sensors” for use in smart glasses and predictive maintenance tasks for industrial automation.

There are today more than 50 companies in China developing smart glasses and the demand for a $1 vibration sensor is expected to help Upbeat reach that $20 million revenue mark, according to CEO Jerry Chen, in an earlier interview with Fierce. 

Upbeat is addressing what many perceive as a power gap in Edge AI so that developers can build applications that don’t need frequent battery replacements. 

Upbeat’s Bone Conduction Microphone measures only 3.2 x 2.5 mm while an associated AI MCU is just 3.0 x 3.0 mm. The company calls the combo a “Tiny AI Engine” that operates at low power and adds on-device intelligence to everything from drones to wearables to industrial systems. Mass production for the microphone is underway and the RISC-V MCU is set to ship in October, the company said in a release. The MCU was developed in partnership with SiFive, according to earlier reports.

 The bone conduction microphone concept came out of MEMS sensor technology invented by a team of PhDs on staff at Upbeat. At its basic level, if functions as a vibration sensor for finding tiny vibrations in the ear canal.

These products fall into the rising industry demand for MEMS sensors, expected to grow to $29 billion by 2031, up from $20 million in 2026, according to Mordor Intelligence. That growth is premised on growth in Edge AI applications, smart industrial systems and miniaturization in wearables.

The Bone Conduction Microphone, also known as a Vibration Processing Unit, is at the heart of smart glasses with AI voice interaction, is mounted in the nose bridge of smart glasses frames and is designed for studio-quality voice interaction in noisy locations. 

The MCU combined with Upbeat’s vibration sensors will monitor machine vibration patterns for use in overhead cranes, conveyors, equipment used to make semiconductors and even drone motors.  Their purpose: to detect vibration anomalies and reduce unplanned downtime.

“At Sensors Converge, we’re excited to show how a sensor with 2% the area of a 2032 cell battery can power the most demanding voice, motion and industrial applications,” said Jerry Chen, CEO and founder of Upbeat.  “Our Tiny AI Engine is redefining what’s possible at the edge—enabling always-on intelligence without sacrificing battery life or adding bulk.”

The company also plans to debut a Falcon Demo Kit for machine vibration analysis at the event. Sensors Converge runs May 5-7 and Chen will discuss ultra-small MEMS sensors and Edge AI in a Tech Zone Stage talk at 3 p.m. May 6.

The Startup Zone at Sensors Converge 2026 is currently comprised of Upbeat (Booth #755) as well as iLenSys (#756), CPTI (#855), Zepsor Technologies (#856), Embedd.it (#1055), ASYGN (#1056) and Sensor Biometrics (#1155).

Sensors Converge is adding a Tech Breakfast for both Wednesday and Thursday (May 6 & 7) where companies make short pitches for products, as well as a Young Professionals Meetup at 2 p.m. May 7.  See the Sensors Converge event schedule for more. 

Registration for Sensors Converge is available online.