Auracast

It means an end to garbled station announcements, makes it easier for friends to share music, and enables deaf people to return to the theatre. Phil Creighton explains the new Bluetooth standard

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The advent of the personal stereo allowed music to break out of the home and go anywhere. The Sony Walkman has given way to mobiles, and headphones are now wireless, but sharing music still means an earbud each. It’s either that or annoy the quiet carriage by blasting music for all to hear.

Now there’s a way to prevent irritation on the 12:10 to Didcot. Auracast is a new Bluetooth technology that delivers audio to multiple devices simultaneously. Its advocates claim it will transform how we listen to music, station announcements, football matches, worship services, films, plays and concerts. Perhaps more significantly, Auracast-enabled hearing aids will benefit those with accessibility needs, including the 18 million people in the UK with hearing loss or tinnitus.

The Bluetooth SIG showcased the technology at CES last year (see issue 354, p33). Eighteen months on, does Auracast deliver?

What is Auracast?

One way to think of Auracast is a miniature radio station. Anyone with enabled headphones or hearing aids can join a stream via an assistant app on their smartphone, by scanning a QR code or by tapping a credit card-sized gadget. It uses a form of Bluetooth LE Audio, with the signal going straight to the listening device with no noticeable lag; the quality is just as good as connecting to Bluetooth on a local device.

Clarity of speech is essential for the hard of hearing. If the brain can’t process individual sounds, volume makes no difference.

Auracast comes into its own in public spaces such as airports, railway stations and stadiums, as clear audio replaces ancient systems and garbled announcements.

The cost of entry is low, too, meaning anyone can become an Auracaster: Android phones can transmit audio, dedicated transmitters start at around £50, and speakers can be wireless, ending the spaghetti junction of cables, speeding up installations, and making repairs easier.

More than one audio stream can be transmitted at a time, too. Galleries can offer a range of languages for tours, football clubs can have live commentaries for the visually impaired, small groups can mic up their guests, conferences can offer instantaneous translations, cinemas can audio-describe the films, and those at the back can keep up with their fitness instructor – handy if the class meets outdoors.