Audio Accessibility: Creating Inclusive Listening Experiences for Everyone

Audio accessibility is often framed as a concern only for people with hearing loss, but the reality is much broader. Barriers to communication, from background noise and poor acoustics to a lack of inclusive design for audio and assistive listening systems, can impact us all.

In a noisy, fast-paced world—whether it’s announcements in airports, lectures in classrooms, music in theaters, or conversations in bustling cafés, among others—everyone benefits from environments and innovations that make listening easier, clearer, and more inclusive. But how do you know what to look for in effective audio solutions for challenging public spaces, and how will emerging technologies help you meet your listening needs?

Why inclusive audio matters beyond hearing loss

According to the World Health Organization, more than 1.5 billion people worldwide — nearly 20% of the population — live with hearing loss. This number is expected to grow to 2.5 billion by 2050, with 700 million people requiring hearing support through assistive listening technology and other interventions.

Many people without diagnosed hearing loss can struggle to understand speech in noisy or acoustically poor environments, such as a conference hall, a house of worship, an airport terminal, or a crowded train station. Hearing health consultant Andrew Bellavia said there are “a lot of people who either don't have diagnosed hearing loss or hear normally, but they still have difficulty understanding speech in reverberant rooms like a cathedral or meeting facility.” With modern solutions, Bellavia said, “they can just pop in a set of earbuds and tune the Auracast™ broadcast and get that crystal-clear audio even though they don't own hearing aids.”

The broadcast Bellavia refers to here is an audio innovation supported by a new Bluetooth^® capability, Auracast broadcast audio. Auracast broadcasts allow people with hearing aids, earbuds, or headphones to access audio from a venue’s public address or sound system using their own personal device, without needing to borrow or request special equipment.

Emerging technologies like Auracast create inclusive audio solutions

Traditional assistive listening systems (ALS) often require users to request special equipment, which can feel stigmatizing and inconvenient. These systems may also suffer from poor audio quality, high deployment costs, limited maintenance and updates, and limited privacy. As a result, many venues lack inclusive audio solutions, leaving people without reliable ways to hear announcements or participate in shared experiences.

Bellavia emphasized that “one of the issues with today's assistive listening systems is they're really targeted at people with hearing loss. And, if people are feeling a little bit stigmatized by it, they may not be comfortable asking for the assistive listening system, wearing the receiver, or wearing the headset.”

An effective audio accessibility solution should be easy to deploy, cost-effective, and compatible with personal devices. It should support a bring-your-own-device (BYOD) model, allowing users to connect directly to a venue’s audio broadcast using their own hearing aids, earbuds, headphones, or hearing instruments. This approach promotes privacy, convenience, and broader adoption. With new solutions like Auracast broadcast audio, Bellavia said, “you can just discreetly bring your own device. You don't have to ask for anything special.”

And, while Auracast broadcast audio is ideal for supporting inclusive audio solutions for those with hearing loss and hearing aids, that is by no means the limit of its capabilities.

Sam Burkinshaw, head of business development at Ampetronic, highlighted that “assistive listening systems aren't just used by those with hearing loss,” noting that many universities are excited about Auracast broadcast audio because “neurodiverse students can make use of the system as well, so they can better focus on their education.” This underscores that accessibility challenges are diverse, ranging from hearing loss to neurodiversity, attention challenges, and simply needing clearer audio in a noisy world.

Venues worldwide are adopting Auracast and promoting audio inclusion

The promise of inclusive audio is being realized in venues around the world. ABI Research predicts that, by 2029, 1.5 million public venues are expected to become Auracast locations. But this is not just hopeful forecasting. Already, real-world locations have deployed Auracast transmitters and continue to deploy them to provide a more inclusive audio experience for visitors.

Public venues around the world are adopting Auracast broadcast audio to deliver accessible audio in public spaces. Venues from the Sydney Opera House and the CCI at the University of the Arts London to churches in the US and UK are early adopters of this technology, and they have seen strong demand and positive feedback. Auracast broadcast audio has also been successfully tested in high-traffic environments like New York's Lincoln Center, Oslo Central Theater, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and at CES 2025, demonstrating its versatility and scalability.

Hearing health advocate Cheri Perazzoli recently noted, “it was a life-changing event for me to be able to pick up my phone and walk through a noisy place and be able to hear like everyone else," after testing out this new assistive listening solution. “If all places adopt Auracast broadcasts, and everything is done with care to eliminate latency and other issues that we have had with other technologies, it would open a new world for us."

Designing accessible consumer audio for everyone

The convergence of assistive listening and consumer audio is transforming how we think about accessibility. According to ABI Research, more than 30 million Bluetooth hearing aids and OTC hearing aids will ship annually by 2029, but the growth of consumer audio devices is even more dramatic. Earbuds and headphones are now standard accessories, and the normalization of wearing something in your ear is helping to reduce stigma and broaden the conversation about audio accessibility.

This trend is not accidental; it’s the result of a growing commitment to universal design. As more consumer devices incorporate audio accessibility features, the line between assistive and mainstream technology is blurring. Bellavia observes that as more people start using inclusive audio in consumer-oriented applications, “it helps normalize people wearing devices in public places. I think it will reduce the overall stigma associated with hearing loss.”

Of course, accessibility should be built in from the start, not added as an afterthought. Designing in access for all means considering the full range of human diversity, from physical to sensory to cognitive differences, and ensuring that innovations serve everyone. Accessibility advocate Ariel Caner adds, “accessibility is not just about making things possible, it’s about making them easy and comfortable for everyone.” When technology is designed with empathy, Caner said, “the best solutions are those that don’t single anyone out. When everyone can use the same technology, it’s truly inclusive.”

The intent is to encourage seamless accessibility for all so that anyone, regardless of their level of hearing health, feels included in any environment. Perazzoli said her goal is “to eliminate the ask” — to create a world where “every venue, every communication exchange, everything was immediately accessible…and hearing access was ubiquitous.” This vision — of a world where audio accessibility is the norm, not the exception — should guide how we design, deploy, and discuss audio solutions.

Soon, everyone will hear better

Audio accessibility is essential for creating inclusive environments where everyone can participate fully. While Bluetooth technology and Auracast broadcast audio are helping to drive this movement, they are part of a broader trend toward inclusive audio. Industry collaboration and innovation are essential to making audio accessibility a standard feature of public spaces, not a niche solution. The best practice for venues is to add Auracast broadcasts alongside current systems, allowing users to transition at their own pace and ensuring compliance with accessibility laws while preparing for the future.

This movement is not just about technology, but about changing expectations and experiences. As HearingTracker Audiologist Matthew Allsop has said, “the most powerful thing we can do is make accessibility seamless so that people don’t have to think about it, ask for it, or feel different for needing it. That’s when technology truly serves everyone.”

By focusing on user needs and removing barriers to deployment, we can ensure that assistive listening technologies serve a broader audience. As innovation continues, the future of audio accessibility looks promising, not just for those with hearing loss but for all of us.

You can learn more about Auracast technology at the Bluetooth/Auracast website.