Auracast™ broadcast audio is transforming how people experience sound in public and professional spaces — making environments more inclusive and accessible for people with hearing loss. As more Bluetooth SIG member companies bring this technology to market, real-world implementations are offering valuable insight into what adoption looks like in practice.
GN Hearing Japan, the Japanese subsidiary of GN Group, recently implemented Auracast™ broadcast audio in its offices, installing the Auri™ integrated hearing support system with Auracast™ compatibility, manufactured by UK-based Ampetronic and Listen Technologies. GN Hearing Japan, provider of the hearing aid brand ReSound, strives to create a society where everyone can discover hearing solutions tailored to their unique lifestyles through cutting-edge hearing technology and innovative solutions.
United by a shared commitment to advancing hearing care, the two companies have been collaborating to promote the adoption of Auracast™ broadcast audio around the world. In Japan, they co-hosted an event in August 2025 at the UK Pavilion of Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai, where they shared information on the benefits of Auracast™ broadcast audio and the broader social significance of raising awareness and driving its widespread adoption.
We had the opportunity to speak with Eriko Suzuki, communication manager at GN Hearing Japan, and Ed Beck, regional sales manager for Japan at Ampetronic and Listen Technologies, to learn about the background and benefits of the Auracast™ implementation at GN Hearing Japan’s offices, as well as their advice for companies considering adopting Auracast™ broadcast audio.
Q&A with Eriko Suzuki from GN Hearing Japan and Ed Beck from Ampetronic and Listen Technologies
Could you walk us through how the implementation plan came together for introducing an Auracast™ broadcast audio- system at GN Hearing Japan’s facilities?
Suzuki: GN believes that the accessibility of audio information between hearing aids and various devices is critically important for quality of life. We see Auracast™ broadcast audio as a way to significantly improve hearing in noisy environments, which is the biggest challenge faced by people with hearing loss, understand the potential of Auracast™ broadcasts, and have incorporated Auracast™ broadcast audio into all hearing aids released since 2024, regardless of type or class.
With this in mind, we wanted to help more people understand the value of Auracast™ broadcasts and contribute to its adoption, so we made GN Hearing Japan’s office available as a space where people can experience it firsthand. Auracast™ broadcast audio also benefits our own office staff in a variety of situations, such as when there is a need for simultaneous interpretation, and we continue to explore further ways to make use of the technology.
How was Ampetronic and Listen Technologies involved in GN Hearing Japan’s implementation plan, and what Auracast™ broadcast audio the right fit for this particular deployment?
Beck: As the regional sales manager for the Japan region for Auri™, I was happy to work alongside GN Hearing Japan in demonstrating Auracast™ broadcast audio.
GN Hearing Japan has a unique need to test their new Auracast™ devices in working scenarios with a clear and consistent signal across a large distance. In this way, Auri™ is well suited to not only show off the capabilities of a professional AV Auracast™ installation (e.g., as would be seen in theatres/cinemas all around the world) but also as a reliable test bed to ensure the hearing aid users receive the highest quality experience.
What specific preparations and configurations were required to implement the system in your existing office environment?
Suzuki: Installing Auracast™ transmitters does not require planning from the time of construction or any large-scale renovation work. Simply placing them in locations that account for the desired broadcast range enables wide-area audio delivery. Installation is quick, keeping capital investment costs relatively low and making it an accessible solution to implement.
How did you determine the placement and number of Auri™ units, and what factors did you prioritize in the actual implementation plan?
Beck: For the transmitter, positioning the unit at the center of the ceiling in the room maximizes the effective coverage of the Auracast™ broadcast. With a reception range of up to 30 to 40 meters radius in Japan, a single unit is sufficient for a mid-sized office or meeting room with no line-of-sight obstructions. In this installation, one unit has been placed in the office area and another in the seminar area.
What added value and benefits have you experienced from implementing Auracast™ broadcast audio at your facility, and what kind of feedback have you received from users?
Suzuki: The transmitters we installed can broadcast two audio streams simultaneously, making it possible to deliver simultaneous interpretation in a different language from the presenter during seminars and meetings, allowing each listener to select the language they wish to hear. By installing units at two separate locations within our office, we were able to extend the broadcast range, making it possible to receive audio from seminars and meetings held in the conference room across nearly the entire office area.
We also frequently invite visitors to tour the hearing aids manufacturing process adjoined to our office, which can be a noisy environment due to the sound of machinery in operation. Even in such conditions, Auracast™ broadcast audio allows the presenter’s voice to be received through Auracast™ compatible hearing aids and devices, enabling visitors to hear clear explanations without being affected by background noise.
Feedback from those who have experienced Auracast™ broadcast audio during meetings has included comments such as “convenient because I can select my own language”, “sounds natural”, “conversations were easy to follow”, and “comfortable with no noticeable delay.”
Installing Auracast™ transmitters does not require planning from the time of construction or any large-scale renovation work. Simply placing them in locations that account for the desired broadcast range enables wide-area audio delivery. Installation is quick, keeping capital investment costs relatively low and making it an accessible solution to implement.
Eriko Suzuki, GN Hearing Japan
What advice would you offer to facilities considering adopting Auracast™ broadcast audio?
Beck: With any assistive listening, the audio content you provide the system needs to be the highest possible quality. This means in many cases ensuring that the microphones are directional to the audio you wish to capture and provide hearing aid users. A common phrase we use is garbage in, garbage out!
When considering the current user base of Auracast™ users, we would strongly recommend reaching out to the hearing loss community to understand their needs.
Auracast™ broadcast audio is being embraced across thousands of venues worldwide, helping people hear their best in any environment.
Suzuki: Since implementation costs are low, we recommend simply giving it a try. The range of possible applications can expand in many directions depending on your ideas and the various needs you wish to address. Because Auracast™ broadcast audio does not require pairing, multiple users can receive the same audio through their own hearing aids or earphones in high quality with low latency, improving audio accessibility in noisy, crowded environments, such as events and seminars, where audio clarity can vary depending on where you are in the room. The ability to select a language by choosing a channel, much like selecting a Wi-Fi network, is also extremely convenient.
How do you think wider adoption of Auracast™ broadcast audio will transform the environment for both those with hearing loss and those without?
Beck: Auracast™ broadcast audio is an extremely powerful audio delivery platform with many uses beyond assistive listening. Perhaps the next time you are in a foreign country, you might go to the local theatre production and, because they have a translated Auracast™ broadcast, you won’t need to worry about missing a single story beat.
Maybe the next time you are on the train, Auracast™ broadcast audio will ensure you receive platform announcements whilst you are listening to your favourite podcast. Personally, I’m looking forward to going to the cinema with my noise-cancelling headphones and watching the movie with zero distractions.
I truly feel the possibilities for this technology are limitless, and we are entering a new era of audio delivery.
Auracast™ broadcast audio is an extremely powerful audio delivery platform with many uses beyond assistive listening.
Ed Beck, Ampetronic and Listen Technologies
Suzuki: Announcements in public places where people tend to gather, such as transportation hubs, can be difficult to hear even for those not faced with hearing loss. For people with hearing loss, understanding speech in such noisy environments is an even greater challenge. With Auracast™ broadcast audio, hearing-aid users will be able to receive necessary audio information and announcements directly through their hearing aids, improving convenience in daily life. In addition, during emergencies such as natural disasters, Auracast™ broadcast audio can help ensure safety more reliably by enabling everyone to receive the same information simultaneously. This technology stands to improve accessibility for both those with and without hearing loss, and we believe it will become a foundational part of audio information infrastructure going forward.
Learn more about Auracast™ broadcast audio.
