The new Bluetooth capability streams gate announcements directly to passengers’ hearing aids, earbuds, and smartphones, aiming to improve accessibility.
Frankfurt Airport has initiated a trial of Auracast broadcast audio at two of its gates, sending all gate announcements for those gates directly to passengers’ personal hearing aids, earbuds, and smartphones. According to a release, this makes Frankfurt Airport the first airport in the world to do so. The deployment is intended to make air travel more accessible for individuals with hearing loss.
Auracast broadcast audio is a Bluetooth capability that converts public sound into a direct audio stream that users can access with their personal devices. This allows travelers to receive clear announcements without interference from background terminal noise.
The new system is installed at gates A16 and A17 in Terminal 1. Over the next two months, project partners will collect feedback from travelers and airport staff to assess the technology’s impact on accessibility and the overall passenger experience. The trial is part of a digital-accessibility initiative funded by Distr@l, a public funding program from the German state of Hesse. The project is led by Sittig Technologies in collaboration with Fraport and the Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences.
“By bringing clear, personalized announcements directly into passengers’ own hearing devices, we are offering another attractive service to our customers while at the same time taking an important step towards a more inclusive airport,” says Alexander Laukenmann, senior executive vice president aviation, Fraport AG, in a release.
Passengers with Auracast-compatible hearing aids, headphones, or smartphones can receive gate information such as boarding calls, changes, or delays directly. The system also supports “silent airport” concepts by reducing the need for frequent loudspeaker announcements, which can lower overall noise levels in the terminal.
“Frankfurt Airport is setting a new standard for inclusive travel, and we are proud that GN can help make that possible,” says Peter Justesen, president, GN’s Hearing division, in a release. “As the company to introduce Auracast into hearing aids, we’re now bringing this innovation to travelers – giving passengers with hearing loss clearer access to gate information and a smoother, more confident journey.”
The Auracast transmitters are integrated into Sittig Technologies’ existing PAXModular IP paging stations at the gates, which allowed the airport to implement the system without requiring significant new hardware or construction. Both manual and automated announcements from Sittig’s PAXGuide system are broadcast through these transmitters.
“By integrating Auracast into our PAXGuide announcement platform, we’re redefining airport communication without requiring airports to replace their existing infrastructure,” says Johannes Sittig, CEO US, Sittig Technologies, in a release.
The project is supported by several technology partners, including GN, Google, Samsung, and the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG).
Featured image: Woman using Auracast to hear airport announcements through her hearing aids. Photo: GN
