Sennheiser 2015 Annual Report Download - page 39

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37
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES
The creation of innovative products that are geared toward
customers’ needs and can be produced economically is the
objective of research and development activities at Sennheiser.
These activities are conducted between four research and
innovation centers:
Sennheiser Audio Labs in Waldshut-Tiengen (Germany), with a
focus on digital signal processing (DSP) and 3D audio
Sennheiser Innovation in Zurich (Switzerland), specialized in
trend research, design and the development of scenarios and
innovative future concepts for the entire group
Sennheiser Technology & Innovation in San Francisco (USA),
for 3D audio, speech processing and sound control sensors; the
center cooperates closely with partners in Silicon Valley
Sennheiser Consumer Electronics in Singapore, which is responsible
for product development based on current consumer trends
Thanks to the Innovation Campus in Wedemark, which was
officially opened in 2015, the audio specialist has the most
state-of-the-art innovation center in the sector. The company
thereby underscores its objective of substantially shaping the
future of the audio industry.
Around the world, 354 employees were involved in research
and development (previous year: 338). In 2015, the
Sennheiser Group’s expenditure on related activities increased
by 8.5 percent year on year to €46.9 million. The research
and development expenses in relation to turnover amounted
to 6.9 percent. In the reporting year, the Sennheiser Group
applied for 31 new patents. Overall, the company holds patents
for 160 of 253 inventions (patent families).
Research
Sennheiser pursues corporate research goals in all business
segments. In the field of acoustics and transducers, for example,
the company successfully developed product-related prototypes
for innovative transducers and the required manufacturing
technology in the reporting year.
Other activities in the field of wireless transmission systems were
aimed at evaluating the potential of existing and future mobile
telecommunication systems for professional and semiprofessional
wireless microphone systems, among other things. In addition,
Sennheiser also examined entirely new approaches in digital
wireless systems. This primarily involved improving immunity
against interference combined with customer-oriented scalability
and significantly less space requirement.
MANAGEMENT REPORT OF THE SENNHEISER GROUP
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES