Auracast in Hearing Aids and Hearables: Bluetooth LE and the New Revolution in Connectivity

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Though the terminology may seem a little technical, the process of actually accessing an Auracast broadcast couldn’t be more simple.

You might find it easier to think of connecting to Auracast as being similar to signing onto a Wi-Fi stream, but instead with Bluetooth audio sources. Let’s consider the process step by step:

First, there has to be an Auracast transmitter, like those in an Auracast-enabled concert hall or house of worship, that starts a broadcast, providing information to Auracast assistants on your smartphone about the broadcast.
Next, you can tune into the broadcast using the Auracast assistant, such as your smartphone or tablet, to scan for Auracast broadcasts. A list of the available broadcasts will appear on your smartphone.
Finally, you select the broadcast you want to listen to, and you can begin listening to the audio immediately through your Auracast-enabled receiver, which could include hearing aids, cochlear implants, or earbuds.

It’s important to note that since your smartphone (or other Auracast assistant device) only serves as a channel selector (or assistant), once you have chosen your preferred broadcast, the phone is no longer needed—you can even turn it off.

“With Bluetooth LE, we’ve allowed the smartphone to be able to pick up the information [from the broadcast unit] and then display it in a meaningful way in a smartphone menu,” Starkey Wireless System Architect Jeff Solum told HearingTracker in a recent article. “So, there's metadata that's also being transmitted to tell you about the name of the broadcast, the channel you might be listening to, the content, and the language featured in the broadcast. In fact, you might have multiple languages, and those will also be displayed on your smartphone, which is connected to your hearing aids.

Bluetooth is working to standardize the information that's associated with being able to join a broadcast via a QR code. “For example, if you’re giving guided tours, you would be the one walking around with a microphone and an Auracast streamer,” explains Thomas Olsgaard, Principal Engineer at GN, the maker of ReSound hearing aids. “Then people are using their hearing aids or earbuds and listening in. And a good way to make sure you are connected to the right tour guide is to just scan their QR code, and there you go!”

Since Auracast is designed for public use, connecting to a broadcast will generally not require entering a password. However, certain situations may require a password to keep information private, such as conferences or private events. In these cases, you will be able to access audio through an encryption code, which is very similar to connecting to private Wi-Fi access points.

Auracast: The next-generation assistant listening system

Auracast audio can enable better hearing for everyone and aims to be an advanced new Assistive Listening System (ALS). This type of system can help people who find it difficult to hear audio in challenging listening environments, which include hearing speech in noisy surroundings, music, television audio, and telephone dialogue.

But, taking a broader view, Auracast is posed to change how all people interact with audio in public spaces.

Hearing in public spaces—which often have high levels of ambient noise or poor acoustics—can be challenging for everyone, especially for people with hearing loss. Since Auracast can deliver audio streaming directly to your ears via compatible hearing devices such as hearing aids or cochlear implants, this cuts out all the background noise, meaning the sound you hear is much clearer than when your hearing device simply processes sound from its surroundings. This means Auracast could serve as a valuable tool for people who wear hearing devices, providing them with a more comfortable and secure way to experience the world around them.

More advantages for people with hearing loss

While we explore the benefits for people with hearing loss, it's worth noting that those with unilateral hearing loss (like me) will no longer have to choose between their hearing aid, cochlear implant, or an earphone in their better-hearing ear to listen to audio. Thanks to Auracast, if both devices are compatible, people with unilateral hearing loss can simultaneously listen to audio through their hearing device in one ear and a wireless headset in the other.

Furthermore, there will be no more need for expensive proprietary TV streamers to connect your hearing aids to the TV audio. With Auracast, you can access the TV audio information crisp, clear, and directly to your hearing device.

Let’s take a closer look at some of the other applications of Auracast.