English 
Chinese Introduction
Have you ever wondered why the word “hiss” sounds like the noise it represents, or why made-up words like bouba feel soft and kiki sounds sharp? These are not just linguistic quirks—they reflect a fundamental feature of language called iconicity, where sounds resemble meanings. Recent research, such as the study by Bodo Winter (2025), sheds light on how acoustic cues alone—rather than articulatory gestures—may be sufficient to explain how humans associate sounds with shapes, sizes, and textures.
At Wuxi Silicon Source Technology Co., Ltd. (SiSTC), our MEMS microphone technology is designed with such perceptual and acoustic subtleties in mind. By optimizing for precision, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and wide frequency response, our microphones allow product developers to build smart systems that hear and interpret the world more like humans do.
What Is Iconicity in Sound?
Iconicity is the resemblance between the form of a word and its meaning. For example, “peep” and “boom” sound small and large, respectively. Researchers have found that people across cultures tend to associate:
- High-frequency sounds with small or sharp objects.
- Low-frequency sounds with large or round shapes.
This correspondence, often termed sound symbolism, is exemplified by classic effects such as:
- The bouba/kiki effect, where “bouba” is linked to roundness and “kiki” to sharpness.
- The mil/mal effect, where “mil” suggests smallness and “mal” largeness.
Winter’s (2025) research supports the idea that acoustics—especially frequency and formant dispersion—are the main drivers of these associations, not how we move our mouths.
Why It Matters for MEMS Microphone Design
As humans interpret meaning from subtle acoustic patterns, it becomes critical that MEMS microphones used in speech recognition, voice control, and audio-based AI systems accurately capture those nuances.
At SiSTC, our MEMS microphones are engineered for:
- High SNR, preserving fine-grained differences in phonemes.
- Flat frequency response, crucial for capturing both high-pitched /i/ and low-pitched /a/ sounds, vital for iconic differentiation.
- Miniaturization, suitable for applications in mobile, automotive, and smart wearable devices.
🔗 Browse our high-performance MEMS microphones:
👉 https://sistc.com/product-category/mems-microphone/
From Onomatopoeia to Machine Understanding
The implications of sound symbolism go beyond linguistics—they inform how machines interpret human language. With AI voice assistants and neural networks increasingly relying on nuanced acoustic data, capturing the shape of sound matters.
SiSTC microphones are ideal for:
- Smart speakers that adapt to emotional tones.
- AI-powered translation devices.
- Children’s educational toys using expressive speech.
- Assistive tech for speech therapy and language learning.
These systems benefit from microphones that faithfully reproduce not just words, but the perceptual cues embedded in sound.
Conclusion: Bridging Human Cognition and Technology
The study of iconicity in language highlights how natural acoustic patterns align with human perception. As digital interfaces evolve to become more “human” in their interactions, hardware must meet the complexity of perception. SiSTC is proud to contribute to this frontier through high-quality MEMS microphones that capture not just sound—but the shape, size, and soul of it.
📘 Reference: Winter, B. (2025). The size and shape of sound: The role of articulation and acoustics in iconicity and crossmodal correspondences. JASA.
🔗 Read the full paper here
