النص 🔗
WEBVTT
00:00:00.239 --> 00:00:02.560
This is the Friday Audiogram.
00:00:02.560 --> 00:00:03.439
Let's go.
00:00:03.439 --> 00:00:06.879
What is Oracast and why should people care?
00:00:08.000 --> 00:00:10.160
That is a very big question.
00:00:10.160 --> 00:00:18.640
So, Oracast is a new protocol within Bluetooth Low Energy, which is the most current version of Bluetooth Classic.
00:00:18.640 --> 00:00:20.879
We know Bluetooth Classic, we all know it.
00:00:20.879 --> 00:00:21.359
We love it.
00:00:21.359 --> 00:00:22.640
We still use it today.
00:00:22.640 --> 00:00:25.760
It is how we replace a chord in our life.
00:00:25.760 --> 00:00:33.039
It is a one-to-one pairing so that we can stream our phone calls and our audio books and our music, right?
00:00:33.039 --> 00:00:38.240
We connect to a speaker, and that may run through our phone or our hearing aid, but it's one-to-one.
00:00:38.240 --> 00:00:39.280
It's personal.
00:00:39.280 --> 00:00:41.039
And that is still very, very useful.
00:00:41.039 --> 00:00:42.240
It's going nowhere.
00:00:42.240 --> 00:00:47.600
But for folks who wanted to use it for assistive listening, it didn't cut it, right?
00:00:47.600 --> 00:00:48.799
It's a one-to-one pairing.
00:00:48.799 --> 00:00:51.439
It's not a broadcast to everyone in range.
00:00:51.439 --> 00:00:54.240
It would drain the battery life on a hearing aid.
00:00:54.240 --> 00:01:03.200
And in live scenarios, not phone calls or streamed audio, it could create extra latency that could make that experience uncomfortable to listen to.
00:01:03.200 --> 00:01:05.760
And so Oracast, you know, folks knew that.
00:01:05.760 --> 00:01:07.680
Hearing aid manufacturers know that.
00:01:07.680 --> 00:01:08.400
We knew that.
00:01:08.400 --> 00:01:12.079
The public knew that that was not the perfect fit, but that they wanted it to be.
00:01:12.079 --> 00:01:17.760
And so what Oracast gives us is the ability to broadcast that audio over Bluetooth.
00:01:17.760 --> 00:01:20.400
Think of it as Wi-Fi for audio in a way.
00:01:20.400 --> 00:01:21.760
There's no pairing.
00:01:21.760 --> 00:01:24.159
It's simply audio that is available.
00:01:24.159 --> 00:01:33.519
And if you have a device that can connect directly to it, you can connect and stream that audio directly to your phone, your earbud, your hearing aid, your cochlear implant.
00:01:33.519 --> 00:01:38.879
So it is truly groundbreaking and it's changing the game for assistive listening.
00:01:38.879 --> 00:01:44.640
But for those of us with average hearing, think of all the environments where we're going to benefit too.
00:01:44.640 --> 00:01:47.200
And you know, your airports, your stadiums, and arenas.
00:01:47.200 --> 00:01:52.239
These are spaces where none of us can hear very well or clearly, and we need to.
00:01:52.239 --> 00:01:55.920
And so Auracast is now available to all of us.
00:01:55.920 --> 00:02:02.159
It will be available on all of our devices the same way we use Wi-Fi, the same way we use traditional Bluetooth.
00:02:02.319 --> 00:02:03.760
So it's pretty exciting.
00:02:04.079 --> 00:02:07.359
So, Mike, yeah, have uh an example, real life example.
00:02:07.359 --> 00:02:14.639
A couple of nights ago, some buddies and I went to a local restaurant to watch the Knicks and the Spurs.
00:02:14.639 --> 00:02:19.280
And the acoustics were just horrendous.
00:02:19.280 --> 00:02:27.439
Now, I have normal hearing on an audiogram, but I definitely present with difficulty and noisy situations.
00:02:27.439 --> 00:02:35.360
So you put that on top of it, then you have horrible acoustics, and then the game is like blasting.
00:02:35.360 --> 00:02:38.319
It makes not for a great listening experience.
00:02:38.319 --> 00:02:55.039
Am I correct in saying that had that restaurant outfitted their location with Oracast, and I had Oracast compatible earbuds or hearing aids, I could have streamed that game right through my earbuds or hearing aids if I'm wearing them.
00:02:55.039 --> 00:02:56.000
Correct.
00:02:56.159 --> 00:02:59.439
And so could everybody else in that room that has a way to connect.
00:02:59.439 --> 00:03:00.319
And that's the beauty.
00:03:00.319 --> 00:03:12.960
And that's what's going to really get this ball rolling, is that we venues now have a way to accommodate those with hearing loss in that situation and the rest of us as well, which really gets this adopted much quicker, right?
00:03:12.960 --> 00:03:18.800
When we can get everyone to care, then we can get everyone marching in the same direction for Oracast adoption.
00:03:18.800 --> 00:03:20.319
So, yes, you nailed it.
00:03:20.319 --> 00:03:23.680
That's the exact environment where this is going to be successful.
00:03:24.000 --> 00:03:33.280
And in a couple seconds now, you're going to explain to us like where you're seeing the fastest real-world Oracast adoption today.
00:03:33.280 --> 00:03:38.800
But I want to share a story with you, Mikey, that I don't think I've shared with even during our discovery call.
00:03:38.800 --> 00:03:49.759
I have an acquaintance who was sharing with me that she and her mother went to a concert and her mother is hearing impaired and wears hearing aids.
00:03:49.759 --> 00:03:57.439
And her mother reported to her, you know, I'm just, I don't enjoy this as much as I used to.
00:03:57.439 --> 00:04:02.400
And now this specific venue was not outfitted with Auracast.
00:04:02.400 --> 00:04:05.120
And I believe this was a couple of years ago.
00:04:05.120 --> 00:04:08.159
But we're hearing that all too often now, Mikey.
00:04:08.159 --> 00:04:14.400
And the hearing technology today is so incredible, way more advanced than it was seven or eight years ago.
00:04:14.400 --> 00:04:23.839
But they can only do so much when there's this cacophony of sound just coming at you, especially at a music venue or in an airport.
00:04:23.839 --> 00:04:31.360
So situations we've already mentioned, but where are you in listen technologies seeing the fastest
Load full transcript
adoption?
00:04:31.360 --> 00:04:33.680
You know, is it public venues?
00:04:33.680 --> 00:04:35.600
Is it corporate environments?
00:04:35.600 --> 00:04:39.199
And really what is driving that acceleration?
00:04:40.240 --> 00:04:44.240
So, you know, I've launched a few technologies in assistive listening.
00:04:44.240 --> 00:04:50.399
Things don't move fast in assistive listening, but in my time, we've launched a few technologies and we know what that adoption rate usually is.
00:04:50.399 --> 00:04:54.800
And it's kind of reliant on the hearing aid adoption rate as well, right?
00:04:54.800 --> 00:04:58.959
We can connect it direct to hearing aids that have that technology within them.
00:04:58.959 --> 00:05:03.360
And that ball is rolling much faster than we ever anticipated.
00:05:03.360 --> 00:05:06.240
And here we are, it's everywhere.
00:05:06.240 --> 00:05:07.120
It's prolific.
00:05:07.120 --> 00:05:12.160
The trust, the amount of trust being put in this new technology is really, really encouraging to see.
00:05:12.160 --> 00:05:17.199
So your houses of worship or local spaces are really adopting very quickly.
00:05:17.199 --> 00:05:23.920
But higher education, performing arts centers, anywhere where, you know, higher education is a great example.
00:05:23.920 --> 00:05:28.800
These folks are young, they know how to use technology, they have technology turnover very often.
00:05:28.800 --> 00:05:31.519
And they also want a discrete way to connect.
00:05:31.519 --> 00:05:34.800
They don't want to check out assistive listening receivers.
00:05:34.800 --> 00:05:41.759
So spaces like that, again, the performing arts centers, we're seeing this be deployed throughout so many Broadway theaters.
00:05:41.759 --> 00:05:44.000
Sydney Opera House, big names.
00:05:44.000 --> 00:05:47.759
This summer it will launch at Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty.
00:05:47.759 --> 00:05:52.000
So it's really hard to tie it to, you know, one type of venue.
00:05:52.000 --> 00:06:06.160
Even corporate environments are really getting in on this, and they're generally not legally required by the ADA to do so, but they're doing it because they know it's the right fit and they're very interested in future-proofing these installations and this investment.
00:06:06.399 --> 00:06:07.920
And this is the way to do it.
00:06:08.240 --> 00:06:27.759
I'm really excited here, Mikey, because when you were saying, it's like it's not mandated to have this technology, but what's so incredible is when I'm out in the field and I'm just talking, you know, because naturally I love hearing healthcare and the technology that that is behind what we do on a daily basis.
00:06:27.759 --> 00:06:35.839
When I share about the Oracast technology, there's never a like, well, no, we don't need it's always, oh, that's amazing.
00:06:35.839 --> 00:06:49.199
I was actually explaining it yesterday to actually one of our guests on the Hearing Matters podcast in the studio, and he was just blown
away by the fact that multiple people could connect.
00:06:49.199 --> 00:06:56.480
And when you're talking about accessibility, I mean a direct audio input is really what Oracast is.
00:06:56.480 --> 00:07:08.160
Now, we do, of course, have a lot of hearing care professionals that tune in to this show, but I also want to be cognizant, Mikey, of the consumers that are tuned in and listening right now.
00:07:08.160 --> 00:07:19.439
If they are currently wearing hearing aids, does Oracast only connect to one specific brand or is it brand agnostic, sort of like an open source stream, if you will?
00:07:19.759 --> 00:07:20.959
It is exactly that.
00:07:20.959 --> 00:07:22.399
It is brand agnostic.
00:07:22.399 --> 00:07:23.759
It is an open source stream.
00:07:23.759 --> 00:07:31.759
In fact, those of us building to this protocol have agreed to build to a protocol where it's all interoperable.
00:07:31.759 --> 00:07:39.199
So my transmitters will work with your receivers, which are hearing the aids, if we've built to the same protocol.
00:07:39.199 --> 00:07:42.160
The same thing is true for speakers and earbuds.
00:07:42.160 --> 00:07:44.720
And so that's what makes it the most exciting.
00:07:44.720 --> 00:07:47.680
It's we are all working for this adoption.
00:07:47.680 --> 00:07:56.480
You, we, you know, hearing care specialists, they want transmissions in their communities so that the hearing aids they are providing will connect.
00:07:56.480 --> 00:07:57.920
And I want the same.
00:07:57.920 --> 00:08:02.639
I want hearing aids in these communities that are able to connect to my transmissions.
00:08:02.639 --> 00:08:07.439
And so we are working together in a way we've we haven't been able to before.
00:08:07.439 --> 00:08:09.759
And that's why we're getting the adoption that we are.
00:08:09.759 --> 00:08:12.000
We have the power of Bluetooth behind us.
00:08:12.000 --> 00:08:16.240
We have the power of the hearing aid manufacturers, manufacturers like us.
00:08:16.240 --> 00:08:21.600
And I should mention all the other manufacturers in the audio space are adding this on.
00:08:21.600 --> 00:08:34.159
So speakers, microphones, you name it, we're building an ecosystem so that in a few years, anywhere my husband goes, he can walk in, see if there's audio available, and connect it directly to his hearing aids.
00:08:34.159 --> 00:08:36.960
So again, it's a very exciting time.
00:08:36.960 --> 00:08:45.200
You can in real time see the lists of products that Bluetooth has approved as Oracast-enabled devices on their website.
00:08:45.200 --> 00:08:46.480
It's updated every day.
00:08:46.480 --> 00:08:48.320
This is happening very, very quick.
00:08:48.320 --> 00:08:49.360
It's real, it's here.
00:08:49.360 --> 00:08:51.279
There's no reason to wait.
00:08:51.279 --> 00:08:55.279
And it plays really well with the other technologies that are already out there.
00:08:55.279 --> 00:09:05.600
For your listeners, just for their personal awareness, public
spaces are required to accommodate those with hearing loss with an assistive listening system.
00:09:05.600 --> 00:09:08.639
It's required under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
00:09:08.639 --> 00:09:10.960
So there are many systems already out there.
00:09:10.960 --> 00:09:20.320
Most of them rely on checking out a receiver and wearing a headset or perhaps connecting via a neck loop to a telecoil-enabled hearing aid.
00:09:20.320 --> 00:09:21.679
Those are already existing.
00:09:21.679 --> 00:09:25.679
Oracast plays really well as a complement to those systems as well.
00:09:25.679 --> 00:09:30.240
There is no one size fits all public address assistive listening.
00:09:30.240 --> 00:09:32.639
Everyone has different needs and preferences.
00:09:32.639 --> 00:09:35.360
The best system is the one that gets used.
00:09:35.360 --> 00:09:48.639
So putting in complementary systems, it doesn't mean we have to tear out what's already been invested in a venue, but it does mean we can give more and better access if we add on an Oracle system as well.
00:09:48.639 --> 00:09:50.720
And that's true for all of us.
00:09:50.720 --> 00:10:00.480
It also has very, very high quality audio, better audio than we can deliver with any of our other technologies in assistive listening, which makes it a really pleasant experience.
00:10:00.480 --> 00:10:06.879
And then you're delivering it directly to their listening device that has been programmed specifically for their needs.
00:10:06.879 --> 00:10:08.399
You can't beat that.
00:10:08.960 --> 00:10:10.960
Mikey, so much to unpack there.
00:10:10.960 --> 00:10:16.720
As you're, and this is why I love hosting the show, because I get to learn so much from all of our guests.
00:10:16.720 --> 00:10:33.600
So, first things first, when you were answering that question, was I I just had this thought that Oracast will absolutely and is positively influencing the reduction of the stigma associated with hearing aids.
00:10:33.600 --> 00:10:41.039
Because if we're talking about untreated hearing loss and wearing hearing aids, yes, the stigma has been reduced throughout the years.
00:10:41.039 --> 00:10:52.879
But is part of that and has part of that stigma been associated with a lack of connectivity, not from a technological standpoint, but from a community-based standpoint.
00:10:52.879 --> 00:10:58.159
Whereas now hearing aid users can go to their favorite venue and connect to Oracast.
00:10:58.159 --> 00:11:04.240
Or let's say a patient, like I was telling you about my acquaintance, she and her mother went to a concert.
00:11:04.240 --> 00:11:06.399
She doesn't want to go to concerts anymore.
00:11:06.399 --> 00:11:12.639
And then that can have the trickle-down effect of you're socially withdrawing, you're not doing a lot of stuff that you'd liked.
00:11:12.639 --> 00:11:17.200
The importance of direct audio input, Oracast is creating that.
00:11:17.200 --> 00:11:22.720
As a hearing care professional, I just have to extend my gratitude and thank you and your team.
00:11:22.720 --> 00:11:35.200
And of course, you know, Bluetooth SIG for all collaborating and working together because you are creating this inclusive ecosystem, not only for the hearing impaired, but for those with normal hearing.
00:11:35.200 --> 00:11:42.399
And I also had a thought here where, you know, we know that untreated hearing loss is linked to loss US earnings.
00:11:42.399 --> 00:11:50.480
So now with Oracast, when I was in graduate school, we had an assistive technologies class.
00:11:50.480 --> 00:11:51.360
Thank you to Dr.
00:11:51.360 --> 00:11:52.639
Susan Dilmouth Miller.
00:11:52.639 --> 00:11:53.919
I have to shout her out.
00:11:53.919 --> 00:11:57.360
But she had us do all these different projects.
00:11:57.360 --> 00:12:02.000
And one of them was go to a movie and ask for their ALD device.
00:12:02.000 --> 00:12:06.879
And for whatever reason, like growing up in the industry, I was like nervous to do this.
00:12:06.879 --> 00:12:09.200
Like, and I'm I'm just being vulnerable here.
00:12:09.200 --> 00:12:13.120
Like I was like, ah, I don't, this is just like uncomfortable for me.
00:12:13.120 --> 00:12:17.120
But, anyways, they have the devices, we tested them out.
00:12:17.120 --> 00:12:20.000
But this technology has been available.
00:12:20.000 --> 00:12:29.519
What I think is so cool personally about Oracast is this connection to all devices, not just one singular device.
00:12:29.519 --> 00:12:32.799
And then third, you talked about the venues.
00:12:32.799 --> 00:12:35.759
Now, there are some venues who have loop systems.
00:12:35.759 --> 00:12:39.039
One of the drawbacks of the loop systems was the cost, right?
00:12:39.039 --> 00:12:42.240
Some people don't want to have the loop systems in.
00:12:42.240 --> 00:12:48.720
Even in educational systems like a classroom, FM systems love them, huge proponent of them.
00:12:48.720 --> 00:12:50.559
I think every class should have one.
00:12:50.559 --> 00:12:51.840
But again, cost.
00:12:51.840 --> 00:12:58.000
With Oracast, like, how should venues, Mikey, be thinking about upgrading?
00:12:58.000 --> 00:13:02.240
Is this an incremental retrofit?
00:13:02.240 --> 00:13:04.879
Is this a full system replacement?
00:13:05.039 --> 00:13:07.440
What are you kind of seeing in the field?
00:13:07.440 --> 00:13:11.600
That's a great question because we are addressing it in the field every day.
00:13:11.679 --> 00:13:15.679
And up until now, hearing loops were the direct connect to a hearing aid.
00:13:15.679 --> 00:13:23.519
Certainly there's other technologies, but a telecoil hearing aid and a hearing loop was ideal because you could just enter into the space.
00:13:23.519 --> 00:13:32.320
And as long as you were within that loop and you could just activate your telecoil and you would have a direct connection to your own hearing aid, which is I it's the ideal, right?
00:13:32.320 --> 00:13:34.720
You don't have to call attention to yourself.
00:13:34.720 --> 00:13:36.639
You don't have to get up and check out equipment.
00:13:36.639 --> 00:13:39.120
It's ideal, but you're right, it's expensive.
00:13:39.120 --> 00:13:44.720
And getting that funded, it was difficult and also installed.
00:13:44.720 --> 00:13:47.279
It's installed in the infrastructure of the building.
00:13:47.279 --> 00:13:48.320
So that's what makes it great.
00:13:48.320 --> 00:13:52.240
It's not an afterthought add-on, but it's expensive.
00:13:52.240 --> 00:14:00.480
It's, you know, can be disruptive in the construction project, and it can be ruined if someone cuts through it not knowing it's there and things like that.
00:14:00.480 --> 00:14:04.559
So they, you know, oftentimes they would find them offline or things like that.
00:14:04.559 --> 00:14:07.759
With Oracast, that is a much easier lift.
00:14:07.759 --> 00:14:12.720
I can get this product in more spaces faster because it's a fraction of the cost.
00:14:12.720 --> 00:14:15.120
It's an add-on to their existing system.
00:14:15.120 --> 00:14:21.279
And again, 100% of their patrons can now have access to it.
00:14:21.279 --> 00:14:23.759
And so that gets these venues to really care.
00:14:23.759 --> 00:14:26.480
But what do they do with these investments they've already made?
00:14:26.480 --> 00:14:29.200
Again, it's a complementary solution.
00:14:29.200 --> 00:14:35.279
Not everyone has a telecoil or as a telecoil hearing aid or an ORACAS enabled hearing aid.
00:14:35.279 --> 00:14:40.000
So having both is even better and accommodates more folks.
00:14:40.000 --> 00:14:42.639
And again, things are better together.
00:14:42.639 --> 00:14:45.919
And if you can't do one or the other, start somewhere.