New features aim to simplify shared audio access, device pairing, and user-to-user communication for hearing aid wearers.
Starkey announced connectivity enhancements to its Omega AI platform, introducing an Auracast assistant, Google Fast Pair, and Push to Talk. The updates are designed to simplify access to shared audio, streamline device pairing, and enable new forms of communication between hearing aid wearers.
“Innovation starts with building intelligent platforms that can continuously evolve,” says Achin Bhowmik, PhD, chief technology officer of Starkey, in a release. “We designed Omega AI from the ground up to incorporate advanced AI, Bluetooth LE Audio, and an intelligent software architecture, enabling innovations like Auracast assistant, Google Fast Pair, and Push to Talk, and setting a new standard for seamless, future-ready connectivity in hearing technology.”
Expanding Auracast Access
The Auracast assistant feature allows any smartphone running the My Starkey app to tune into an Auracast broadcast, streaming it directly to the user’s hearing aids. Wearers can start and stop the broadcast, adjust the streaming or hearing aid microphone volume, and select a different language if available. The feature is designed to give Omega AI and Edge AI hearing aid users easier access to shared audio in public venues like airports, theaters, and houses of worship.
Simplified Pairing and Direct Communication
The Omega AI platform now supports Google Fast Pair, which allows Android users to pair their hearing aids with their phone via a single tap. The feature detects nearby Omega AI devices to reduce setup complexity.
Another new feature, Push to Talk, enables a person wearing Omega AI 24 hearing technology to send a voice message directly to another Omega AI 24 wearer. According to Starkey, the feature can be programmed as a double-tap user control through the Smart Assistant.
