We’ve been talking up the possibilities of Bluetooth’s broadcast audio tech known as Auracast for some time now. And while we’ve been seeing it emerge more recently in devices such as Bluetooth speakers and headphones, in a world-first the wireless audio innovation has been installed in the iconic Sydney Opera House to help those with hearing needs rediscover their love for live music.
You’d be forgiven if you haven’t heard of Auracast, but the technology, developed by Bluetooth’s governing body, the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), in a nutshell, uses Bluetooth’s super-efficient Low Energy (LE) Audio standard to allow high-quality audio to be broadcast from a Auracast-enabled transmitting devices to Auracast-enabled audio receivers — in this case, hearing aids and headphones. Users can tune into the specific broadcasts using an app or other interface.
We’ve checked out the technology first-hand at CES over the years, and it has broad application scenarios, including allowing airport visitors to tune into their specific flight’s gate announcements through their headphones, and even bars and restaurants could use it to allow sports fans to choose the sound they want if there are multiple games being played on several TVs.
The Sydney Opera House, in collaboration with hearing tech market leaders GN, Hearing Australia, and Australia’s National Acoustic Laboratories, today has just become the world’s first major cultural institution to install Auracast in its performance areas, which include its Drama Theatre, Playhouse, and Studio venues, with the larger Concert Hall and other rooms likely to follow. Bluetooth LE Audio not only offers low latency and efficient battery use, but allows for excellent sound quality. Combined with Auracast, the protocol can connect to a limitless number of receiving devices.
Auracast is now available for live performances at the Sydney Opera House to allow users with compatible Auracast hearing aids or headphones to enjoy, in an effort to improve inclusion and enjoyment for all. With any luck, this will signal the rest of the world to follow suit and bring the tech to a broader audience.
“Hearing aid users can face barriers at live performances, with current assistive listening systems such as induction hearing loops optimized for speech, while music can sound distorted and available seating limited to areas with coverage,” a press release states. The implementation of Auracast aims to improve the experience.
For the Sydney Opera House launch, those without compatible hearing-aid devices were given a pair of Auracast-capable Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro to test out the experience. Reps from Samsung, Google, and the Bluetooth SIG were at the launch event, where they “showcased Auracast-enabled products that demonstrated how it enhances listening experiences in public spaces and venues,” the press release continues.
It’s reported that one in five people globally suffer from hearing loss. In the U.S. alone, 1 in 8 people (13%, or 30 million people) ages 12 or older has hearing loss in both ears, according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. But options are improving for those who suffer from hearing loss. In 2022, the FDA formally opened the market for over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids, making them available to mild-to-moderate sufferers without a prescription or hearing exam. Most recently, Apple added hearing aid features to its AirPods Pro 2 earbuds.
Auracast has the ability to drive things ever further for those with hearing-related issues.
“We are at the forefront of bringing Auracast to hearing aid wearers so they can easily connect to and enjoy great sound no matter where they are,” said Peter Karlstromer, CEO of GN. “We are very proud to collaborate with the Sydney Opera House, National Acoustic Laboratories and Hearing Australia to enable Auracast and inclusive performances at this iconic venue – we hope it will encourage more to follow suit and enter the next era of connectivity.”
