This is a summary of the Chicago Tribune article “To help people with hearing loss, Chicago-area venues installing new Auracast technology” which can be read here.
If you’ve ever had trouble following a sermon, a play, or a speaker at a public event (even while wearing hearing aids) you’re not alone. Background noise, distance from the sound source, and inconsistent venue audio systems have been a long-standing frustration for people with hearing loss.
A newer wireless technology called Auracast is starting to change that. Auracast is a type of Bluetooth that allows a venue’s sound system to broadcast audio directly to compatible hearing aids or earbuds. Unlike older Bluetooth, you don’t need to pair your device. Instead, you simply connect through your smartphone, similar to joining a Wi-Fi network.
Audiologist Kristen Conners on What’s Ahead
In a recent Chicago Tribune feature, Prescription Hearing’s audiologist Kristen Conners shared her perspective on how quickly this technology is being adopted:
“Within the next five years I think we’ll see big, big changes.”
According to Conners, public venues are now catching up with what the technology can offer people who wear hearing aids. Several Chicago-area locations have already installed Auracast, and more are expected to follow.
Where You Can Already Find It
The Tribune article highlights a number of local venues that have recently added Auracast, including the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire and the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre in Arlington Heights. Chicago’s Goodman Theatre was also in the process of installing the technology at the time of the article. Houses of worship and other public spaces are beginning to adopt it as well.
Some of these venues are keeping their existing hearing loop and FM systems in place alongside Auracast, since not all hearing aids or earbuds work with the new technology yet. The Marriott Theatre, for example, plans to use both systems for now.
How It Compares to Older Assistive Listening Systems
For years, venues have relied on telecoil (loop) systems or FM-based setups to help patrons with hearing loss. Telecoil works through a copper wire installed under the carpet or within the floor, which transmits audio from the venue’s sound system via a magnetic field. A wire inside the hearing aid picks up that signal and delivers the sound directly. FM systems take a different approach, transmitting audio via radio signal to portable receivers that patrons can use during a performance.
These systems have helped many people over the years, but they don’t work for everyone. Proponents of Auracast say it can be cheaper and easier to install for venues, while offering better sound quality for listeners.
Hearing Aids That Support Auracast
A growing number of hearing aids now come with Auracast built in. At Prescription Hearing, several of the models we carry already support the technology, including the ReSound Vivia. If you’re currently wearing hearing aids and aren’t sure whether they support Auracast, that’s something we can help you check.
Questions About Auracast or Your Hearing Aids?
Whether you’re curious about upgrading to an Auracast-compatible hearing aid or just want to know what your current devices can do, the audiologists at Prescription Hearing are here to help. Contact our team today to learn more.
