BLUFFDALE, UTAH & NEWARK-ON-TRENT, U.K. — Vue has deployed an Auracast-based assistive listening system across 20 cinemas in the United Kingdom and Ireland, bringing direct wireless audio access to more than 200 screens.
The installation uses Auri, an assistive listening system developed by Listen Technologies and Ampetronic around Bluetooth Auracast broadcast audio. According to the companies, the participating Vue locations account for more than 28% of admissions across the cinema chain.
Direct Audio to Hearing Aids and Personal Devices
Unlike conventional Bluetooth connections that typically pair one source with one receiving device, Auracast allows a single audio source to broadcast to multiple compatible devices at the same time.
At equipped Vue cinemas, moviegoers with compatible Auracast-enabled hearing aids, cochlear implants, headphones, or earbuds can select the cinema’s audio broadcast and receive the soundtrack directly through their own devices.
For patrons without compatible personal devices, Vue can provide dedicated Auri receivers that work with connected headphones or earbuds. The system can also carry audio description for people with visual impairments and provide an alternative listening option for guests who prefer more direct audio.
The rollout represents one of the larger cinema deployments of Auracast to date and reflects growing interest in using Bluetooth LE Audio technology as an alternative or complement to traditional assistive listening systems.
Expanding Accessibility in Public Venues
Auri transmitters can be mounted on walls or ceilings and broadcast to an unlimited number of compatible receivers within their coverage area. According to Listen Technologies and Ampetronic, the system can be added alongside existing assistive listening infrastructure without requiring extensive renovation. Auri Manager software allows cinema operators to configure and manage transmitters and receivers across multiple auditoriums.
Narinder Shergill, general manager at Vue UK & Ireland, said the installation is intended to help remove barriers and provide clearer audio throughout participating cinemas.
“Partnering with Ampetronic | Listen Technologies to install Auri™ is the next step on that journey,” Shergill said.
The Vue deployment follows a growing number of Auracast installations in public venues in the UK. Auri is also being used at locations including Brighton Station, the University of Oxford, Everyman Theatre, and Birmingham Hippodrome.
Auracast adoption has been expanding across transportation, performing arts, entertainment, and other public spaces as more hearing aids, earbuds, headphones, and other consumer devices add support for Bluetooth LE Audio and broadcast audio.
For cinemas, the technology offers a potentially significant shift in assistive listening by allowing patrons to use compatible devices they already own rather than relying exclusively on venue-issued receivers.
**The Bluetooth® word mark and logos are registered trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. The Auracast™ word mark and logos are trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. Any use of such marks by Listen Technologies Corporation and Ampetronic is under license. Other trademarks and trade names are those of their respective owners.
Source: Listen Technologies.
