Auracast™ Broadcast Audio
in the Real World

Since the release of the Bluetooth® LE Audio, Auracast™ broadcast audio – a new Bluetooth capability that lets you share your audio, unmute your world, and hear your best – has had a major impact across the audio market, influencing analysts’ trends and forecasts and making headlines with major industry publications. What was once speculation as to its real-world applications has now become an encouraging reality.

Auracast™ broadcast audio enables an audio transmitter to broadcast audio to an unlimited number of receivers. A transmitter can be a smartphone, laptop, TV, or even a public address or sound system, and receivers are headphones, speakers, earbuds, or even hearing aids. This year alone, we’ve seen several new product announcements, from Auracast™ receivers to Auracast™ transmitters, developed by major industry players like Samsung, JBL, Ampetronic/Listen, and Sennheiser with more product announcements expected at IFA 2024 in September.

Below are just a few examples of how Auracast™ broadcast audio is beginning to impact real-world public spaces. 

The Silent Awa Odori

Hosted in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan, the Silent Awa Odori took the traditional Japanese Awa Odori folk dance and transformed it into a silent yet immersive experience using wireless headphones and earbuds. Rather than relying on loud music blasting from speakers, which can disturb surrounding neighborhoods, this innovative approach allowed participants to enjoy the iconic dance performance through their personal audio devices.

The Silent Awa Odori event successfully showcased one of the primary use cases that Auracast™ broadcast audio enables –enjoying music and audio in public spaces where loud sounds are typically not permitted or could be intrusive to others in surrounding areas. Attendees were provided with headphones or earbuds and could choose between two synchronized live audio channels: one featuring the authentic, traditional music that typically accompanies Awa Odori dances and the other offering pulsating techno sets performed by local DJs. This simultaneous access to two distinct audio streams created a unique, multi-dimensional experience for the audience.

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Conference Rooms at HLAA 2024

Amongst the broad range of audio innovations that were shared at HLAA 2024, the event provided several opportunities to allow attendees to explore Auracast™ broadcast audio firsthand. Three conference rooms at the venue were outfitted with Auracast™ transmitters. So, attendees who visited select sessions were able to check out an Auracast™ receiver (hearing aid or earbud) and tune into sessions offered in those conference rooms via Auracast™ broadcast audio.

“Everyone was impressed with the capabilities Auracast™ broadcast audio enabled,” said Kayla Myrhow, senior product marketing manager for the Bluetooth SIG. “Each of the three workshop rooms were outfitted with an AURI transmitter from Ampetronic and Listen Technologies, allowing attendees to use headphones with a receiver, or GN Resound Nexia hearing aids to listen and participate better in the workshops.”

Products with Auracast™ support are available today, and this technology is not only being added to new hearing aids, cochlear implants, and other hearing devices, but it is also being added to consumer audio receivers like earbuds, headphones, and speakers. And it is gaining adoption in new smartphones, tablets, and TVs, and has been introduced in commercial transmitters for public spaces.

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