Since its release in 2022, Auracast has been making headlines, being hailed as the next generation of assistive listening.  But what exactly is it?

     Original Bluetooth signals were one-to-one secured signals that required pairing a transmitter to a receiver, which needed a high amount of power to operate. In contrast, Auracast Broadcast Audio, known as Auracast for short, is a new Bluetooth capability that will allow audio sharing.  One device can broadcast signals to multiple receivers, similar to the way people listen to a radio.  Auracast works off the Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) Audio platform, which provides higher audio quality while consuming less power. This will be the basis for Bluetooth signals going forward (Sygrove, 2024).  Auracast is touted as offering a low-cost private audio broadcast with the capability of filling an entire stadium with an uninterrupted signal easily accessed by any compatible device.
     To access an Auracast signal, users may have a public option or a secured signal through a QR-code specific to the event with encryption for privacy (Sygrove, 2024).  The signal will begin with advertisements that tell the user that a broadcast is available and the name and content of the stream.  An Auracast assistant device, such as a smartphone or smartwatch, will scan for the available broadcasts and allow the user to select the stream to connect with, similar to the way users find and connect to wi-fi networks.  Once the broadcast is selected, the assistant device provides the information needed to join, and the selected signal will be sent to the hearing aid, implant processor, earbud, or headphone that is paired to the assistant device (Bluetooth SIG, 2024).
     To accept an Auracast signal, a device must be capable of running Bluetooth LE 5.2 or higher, which is currently available in a handful of smartphones, televisions, tablets, computers, and Bluetooth accessories such as earbuds and speakers (Roberts, 2024).  Many products are still in development, and approval stages have yet to be released to the market.  In 2022, hearing aid and cochlear implant manufacturers started introducing Auracast-ready devices, with many others indicating that only a firmware update to the hearing aid or implant processor will enable the capability when Auracast systems are widely available.
     ABI Research, an independent technology advisory firm, forecasts that by 2028, annual shipments of Bluetooth LE-enabled products will reach 3 billion devices (Zignani, 2024).  The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (BSIG) expects 2.5 million public locations to implement Auracast by 2030 (Marcel, 2024b).  Implementation may be seen in the form of audio access to televisions in public venues, public address systems in transit centers and airports, theaters, and conference centers.  Since Auracast can broadcast multiple streams concurrently, this expands offerings to include real-time language translation services and audio descriptions for the visually impaired for conferences and tour systems (Vonau, 2024).  As businesses adopt Auracast, the BSIG is asking for them to register their locations so a map can be created to show where access points are available (Bluetooth SIG, 2024b).
     Even with the popularity of Bluetooth-enabled devices, don’t expect Auracast to overtake other more traditional forms of assistive listening devices such as induction loop and FM systems just yet.  As Auracast receives a lot of publicity to create hype and interest, the International Hearing Access Committee (IHAC) cautions that current access to audio signals must be maintained and not compromised by “overly optimistic expectations of future technology” (IHAC, 2019).  IHAC projects that full transition to Auracast from hearing loop systems could take 10-15 years (IHAC, 2019).  Most importantly, accessibility to critical information must be provided in multiple forms as defined in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to support access for all (U.S. Department of Justice, 2016).  The idea of users needing to bring their own device to have access to important information needs significant research and consideration.  Additionally, there can be no exclusion of access for anyone using older hearing aids and cochlear implants that rely on telecoils and FM receivers for connection to appropriate signals.  During this transitional time, newer smartphones may not be capable of pairing to older hearing aids for access and streaming through Auracast even though the smartphone itself will be Auracast- ready (Sabin, Drullman & Thomas, 2023).  The Bluetooth SIG is considering this potential pitfall to implementation and realizes that Auracast will be utilized in tandem with other systems until there is more widespread adoption of the technology (Sabin et al., 2024).  Until that time, any public entity that chooses to offer Auracast will need to provide the appropriate number of receivers as defined by ADA for the size of the venue for anyone entering the facility that needs access and does not already have a compatible device (U.S. Dept of Justice, 2016).
     Anyone with hearing difficulties who has used assistive listening devices can attest to the significant benefit provided.  Auracast has the opportunity to expand hearing access to all through the momentum generated by consumers who have already adopted Bluetooth for recreational uses.  Since Auracast’s introduction in 2022, more and more hearing aids and implant processors are being released with Bluetooth antennae as a standard feature to be ready to connect.   As more Auracast devices are sold, there will be more incentives for businesses to incorporate the technology into their locations.  For anyone using a hearing aid and Auracast, the signal will offer the most direct, customized sound providing the best clarity for listening in large areas, along with the least interference from background noise.  That is the ultimate listening experience, and time will show whether Auracast truly delivers.      

Rebecca Blaha, Au.D.
Assistant Professor
Osborne College of Audiology
Salus University
Lead Audiologist for the Pennsylvania Ear Institute.
Dr. Blaha specializes in amplification devices ranging from traditional hearing aids to cochlear implants and bone conduction hearing devices. 

Resources:
Bluetooth SIG.  (2024).  Auracast:  How it works.  Retrieved from https://www.bluetooth.com/auracast/how-it-works/
Bluetooth SIG.  (2024b).  Auracast Public Location Brand Guide.  Retrieved from https://www.bluetooth.com/auracast-location-guide/

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