ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO — Auracast™, a new Bluetooth® technology capable of transmitting audio to a nearly unlimited number of receivers simultaneously, has arrived in Albuquerque. Grace Lutheran Church and Albuquerque Hearing and Balance—both early adopters of hearing loop assistive listening technology—are among the first known organizations in the area to deploy the emerging audio broadcast technology.
At both locations, Auracast supplements an existing hearing loop system, providing people with hearing loss another way to receive clear, direct audio through compatible hearing aids, earbuds, or loaner receivers.
Grace Lutheran Church selected the Infinium Auracast system, manufactured in the United States by Williams AV and engineered for commercial audio-visual environments. Infinium is a patented, modular Auracast™ broadcast audio system designed to deliver real-time, high-fidelity audio for assistive listening, multilingual events, and audio description.
The system was installed by Pace Audio of Albuquerque. Visitors can access the Auracast broadcast using compatible hearing aids or earbuds, or borrow a receiver with earphones from the church.
At Albuquerque Hearing and Balance, Mike Langner, a licensed retired radio engineer, installed the Taiwan-based MoerLabs TVHearMore™ transmitter in both the East and West Side waiting rooms. Although marketed primarily as a TV streamer, the device also functions as a flexible Auracast™ transmitter suitable for classrooms, conferences, and other modest-sized public venues. Multiple transmitters can be synchronized to serve larger spaces.
At the clinic, the system will be used to demonstrate Auracast technology for prospective hearing aid users while also providing audio access for waiting room visitors with compatible hearing aids or earbuds. Some earbuds and hearing aids require a smartphone to connect to an Auracast broadcast, while many newer Auracast-enabled hearing aids can connect directly using their built-in broadcast scanning capability when only a single Auracast signal is present.
Auracast installations are expanding worldwide in venues of all sizes. Examples include the Sydney Opera House in Australia, the WYO Theater in Sheridan, Wyoming, Stadium Taranaki in New Zealand, Blackwell Hall at the University of Oxford, departure gates at Frankfurt Airport in Germany, and the International Convention Centre in Sydney. As awareness of the technology continues to grow, Auracast is expected to expand into additional venues, including performing arts centers, places of worship, stadiums, public transportation, gymnasiums, and other public gathering spaces.
More information about Auracast is available at:
https://www.bluetooth.com/auracast/
A directory of nearly 100 Auracast-enabled devices, examples of current installations, and additional information about the technology are available at:
http://www.loopnm.com/Auracast.html
About Loop New Mexico
Loop New Mexico is a nonprofit clearinghouse for information about hearing loops and Auracast assistive listening technology. Established in 2008 by the Albuquerque Chapter of the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA), Loop New Mexico received the first HLAA Get in the Hearing Loop Award. In 2018, it became an independent organization dedicated to increasing awareness and availability of assistive listening systems.
