Auracast™ broadcasts audio in public locations
Auracast™ enables public venues and spaces to deliver better audio experiences that enhance accessibility and increase resident and visitor satisfaction. “Auracast™ broadcast audio is well positioned to become an advanced new assistive listening system that will be significantly easier and less expensive to implement, while providing higher audio quality and greater privacy, improving audio accessibility and promoting a better life through hear better,” said Nick Hunn of WiFore Consulting.
“Auracast™ broadcast audio is well positioned to become an advanced new assistive listening system.”
—Nick Hunn, WiFore Consulting
This new Bluetooth® capacity has the potential to enhance existing use cases and create new applications within public locations and spaces, from augmented/assistive listening to multilingual support and more.
Auracast™ broadcast audio provides venues that use public address (PA) systems, such as transit centers, lecture halls, conference centers, places of worship and more, an enhanced audio experience by enabling attendees to hear PA audio directly into their own Bluetooth headset or hearing aid with Auracast™ functionality. When used in this way, Auracast™ broadcast audio will function as a high-quality, low-cost, next-generation Assistive Listening System (ALS), increasing accessibility and improving the visitor experience.
“Audio quality innovations can benefit everyone while also improving communication access for people with hearing loss,” said Barbara Kelley of the HLAA. “Choices in technology to meet the different needs of people with hearing loss is critical. The advent of technologies such as Auracast™ broadcast audio has the potential to provide people who wear hearing aids and cochlear implants with an important new opportunity for hearing access in their daily lives.”
And as a safe, cost-effective and hygienic alternative to handing out infrared, FM or wired headsets to people in need of translation services, Auracast™ broadcast audio allows visitors to use their own Auracast™-compatible Bluetooth earbuds or hearing aid to listen to simultaneous interpretation without the need for additional devices or complicated infrastructure.
“The advent of technologies such as Auracast™ broadcast audio has the potential to provide people who wear hearing aids and cochlear implants with an important new opportunity for hearing access in their daily lives.”
—Barbara Kelley, HLAA
How it works
An unlimited number of Auracast™ receivers within range can participate in an Auracast™ broadcast from a nearby Auracast™ transmitter.
Auracast™ transmitters (e.g. smartphones, TVs, public address systems, etc.) will broadcast advertisements and inform Auracast™ assistants (e.g. smartphones, smartwatches, etc.) that an Auracast™ transmission is available in the area. The ad includes a name, whether the transmission is secure or open, and other information about the Auracast™ transmission.
Auracast™ assistants look for these ads and provide a user interface (UI) that allows users to select an Auracast™ transmission, similar to the UI commonly used to connect to Wi-Fi networks in public areas.
Once an Auracast™ transmission is selected, the Auracast™ Assistant informs the Auracast™ receiver (e.g. headphones, earphones, hearing aids, etc.) how to join the Auracast™ transmission.
Learn more about Auracast™ Broadcast Audio
The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) has launched a new microsite to help developers learn what they need to know about developing their Auracast™ products and solutions and to provide public venues with important information about how Auracast™ broadcast audio location and visitors will benefit.
View more Auracast™ resources.