Tech Talk

Unveiling the Potential: A Deep Dive into Bluetooth Auracast

2024-03-05

The world of wireless audio is on the cusp of a revolution. Enter Bluetooth Auracast, a groundbreaking technology poised to transform how we experience sound. By breaking free from traditional one-to-one pairing, Auracast ushers in a new era of audio sharing, accessibility, and enriched experiences. This article delves into the inner workings of Auracast, explores its vast potential benefits, and unveils the exciting possibilities it holds for the future

Unveiling the Auracast Magic

At its core, Auracast is a feature within the Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) Audio standard. It enables a single audio source, or transmitter, to broadcast an audio stream to an unlimited number of compatible receivers within its range. Imagine a TV in a public space silently transmitting its audio, allowing viewers to tune in using their Auracast-enabled headphones. This eliminates the need for cumbersome cables or multiple Bluetooth connections.

Auracast Overview

Here’s a breakdown of the Auracast magic:

Transmitters: Any Bluetooth LE Audio device with Auracast capability can act as a transmitter. This could be your smartphone, TV, laptop, or even a specialized public address system. The transmitter broadcasts an “advertisement” containing information about the audio stream, such as its name, content type, and supported codecs.
Receivers: Auracast receivers can be headphones, earbuds, hearing aids, or any Bluetooth LE Audio device equipped to receive Auracast broadcasts. These devices “listen” for advertisements and allow users to select the desired audio stream.
Auracast Assistants: Some devices might require an intermediary “Auracast Assistant” to facilitate the connection. This assistant, embedded within the receiver or a separate device, decodes the advertisement and guides the receiver to join the chosen broadcast.
A Symphony of Benefits: Why Auracast Matters

Auracast promises to transform various aspects of our audio experience. Here’s a glimpse into the key benefits it offers:

Enhanced Public Experiences: Imagine attending a lecture in a large hall. With Auracast, you can seamlessly receive the presenter’s voice directly in your headphones, eliminating background noise and ensuring crystal-clear audio. This technology can revolutionize public spaces like airports, train stations, and museums, where clear audio is often a challenge.
Accessibility for All: Auracast empowers those with hearing difficulties. Public venues can broadcast audio with assistive listening support, allowing hearing aid users to adjust volume and sound characteristics to their specific needs. This fosters inclusivity and ensures everyone enjoys the full audio experience.
Effortless Audio Sharing: Sharing your favorite music or movie with friends becomes a breeze. Simply initiate an Auracast broadcast from your phone, and anyone nearby with compatible headphones can join in. No more fumbling with pairing or limited connections – Auracast allows for effortless group audio enjoyment.
Multi-lingual Support: Imagine traveling to a foreign country and wanting to understand a presentation or museum exhibit. Auracast can broadcast multiple audio streams simultaneously, offering translations in different languages. This opens doors to a more immersive and globally accessible experience.

How to Share Your Audio with Auracast^™

A World of Possibilities: The Auracast Ecosystem

The potential applications of Auracast extend far beyond the scenarios mentioned above. Here’s a glimpse into the exciting possibilities this technology unlocks:

Augmented Audio Experiences: Imagine museums or art galleries using Auracast to deliver additional audio layers that enhance exhibits. As you approach a painting, your headphones could automatically receive commentary or historical background information.
Immersive Entertainment: Auracast can transform movie theaters and live performances. By broadcasting multiple audio tracks, it can offer director’s commentary, language dubbing, or even personalized sound effects based on your seat location.
The Rise of Smart Cities: Imagine city streets equipped with Auracast transmitters delivering real-time traffic updates, public safety announcements, or even location-based information directly to your ears.
Revolutionizing Fitness: Fitness studios and instructors can leverage Auracast to deliver workout instructions or personalized coaching directly to your headphones, creating a more immersive and individualized exercise experience.

How Auracast^™ Will Unmute Your World

The Road Ahead: Challenges and the Future of Auracast

While Auracast holds immense promise, there are challenges to overcome. Widespread adoption requires broader integration of Auracast technology into devices – from smartphones and headphones to TVs and public address systems. Additionally, ensuring clear and consistent audio across a multitude of receivers operating in the same space requires further development and optimization.

However, the Bluetooth SIG (Special Interest Group) – the governing body behind Bluetooth technology – is actively promoting Auracast adoption. With major industry players on board, the future of Auracast looks bright. As device compatibility increases and technical hurdles are addressed, Auracast has the potential to redefine the way we experience and interact with sound in our everyday lives.

How to Hear Your Best with Auracast^™

Conclusion: A New Era of Audio Awaits

Bluetooth Auracast presents a compelling vision for the future of wireless audio. It promises a world where sound is more accessible, personalized, and adaptable to our surroundings. As the technology matures and the ecosystem flourishes, Auracast has the potential to redefine the way we experience and interact with audio, fostering a more inclusive and immersive soundscape for everyone.

Learn more at the Bluetooth SIG website.

Dialog Semiconductor Extends its Bluetooth® Low Energy Market Success to Automotive Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems

2017-09-14

London, United Kingdom – September 13, 2017 – Dialog Semiconductor plc (XETRA:DLG), a provider of highly integrated power management, AC/DC power conversion, charging, and connectivity technology, today announced the first shipments of its SmartBond™ DA14585 Bluetooth low energy (BLE) System-on-Chip (SoC) to two internationally-recognized suppliers to the automotive industry for use in tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) sensors. With over 100 million units of its SmartBond SoCs already shipped to other applications, this represents another success milestone for Dialog’s Bluetooth market leadership.

A TPMS sensor is an electronic subsystem for monitoring the air pressure and temperature within automobile tires, alerting drivers of improperly-inflated tires or other safety information in real time. Most typical TPMS sensors use proprietary or non-standard sub-GHz radios to transfer information to the automobile’s computer, but by replacing these radios with Bluetooth low energy connectivity, TPMS can now take advantage of a worldwide standard and the interoperability it brings with the added benefit of long battery lifetime and smartphone connectivity.

With a long legacy in the automotive market as a provider of motor control ICs, Dialog now addresses the TPMS market with the DA14585, the lowest cost, lowest power Bluetooth low energy SoC in high volume production today. To build a Bluetooth low energy-enabled TPMS, only sensors supporting pressure, temperature and acceleration and a battery need to be added. The DA14585 handles the entire processing required for the TPMS application, with no additional microcontroller needed. Further benefits include high security, upgradable firmware and connectivity to automobile computers via a single node for all Bluetooth low energy functions.

“TPMS is already mandated in the United States, South Korea, and the European Union,” said Sean McGrath, SVP and GM of the Connectivity, Automotive and Industrial Business Unit, Dialog Semiconductor. “With other countries such as China and Japan reviewing their own mandates, the early adoption of Bluetooth low energy for TPMS represents an excellent opportunity for Dialog to support the automotive market’s move into the next phase of connectivity and also address the rapidly-growing TPMS aftermarket with these first design wins.”

The DA14585 is available for purchase through Avnet, Digi-Key and Mouser Electronics. As with all SmartBond solutions, the DA14585 is easy to design with, and supports standalone as well as hosted applications. It is supported by a complete development environment including Dialog SmartSnippets™ software, helping designers profile and fine tune the power consumption of their applications. For more information on the DA14585 and Dialog’s Bluetooth SmartBond technology, visit: https://www.dialog-semiconductor.com/bluetooth-low-energy

Bluetooth SIG Announces Mesh Networking Capability

2017-07-18

Brings proven, global interoperability and the mature, trusted ecosystem of Bluetooth technology to industrial-grade device networks

Kirkland, Washington – July 18, 2017 – The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) announced today that Bluetooth® technology, the global standard for simple, secure wireless connectivity, now supports mesh networking. The new mesh capability enables many-to-many (m:m) device communications and is optimized for creating large-scale device networks. It is ideally suited for building automation, sensor networks and other IoT solutions where tens, hundreds, or thousands of devices need to reliably and securely communicate with one another.

“By adding support for mesh networking, the Bluetooth member community is continuing a long history of focused innovation to help new, up-and-coming markets flourish,” said Mark Powell, executive director for Bluetooth SIG, Inc. “In the same way the connected device market experienced rapid growth after the introduction of Bluetooth Low Energy, we believe Bluetooth mesh networking can play a vital role in helping early stage markets, such as building automation and wireless sensor networks, experience more rapid growth.”

Industrial-grade solution

Commercial building and factory automation represent major market opportunities for wireless mesh networking technologies. These markets demand true industrial-grade solutions, which Bluetooth mesh uniquely delivers.

Reliability: Enables inherently self-healing networks with no single points of failure
Scalability: Supports thousands of nodes with industrial-level performance
Security: Provides industrial-grade security for protection against all known attacks
Proven, global interoperability

Time and time again it has been shown that markets flourish when multi-vendor interoperability exists. Bluetooth mesh delivers proven, global interoperability that assures products from different vendors work together.

Full-stack solution: A unique full-stack approach that defines the low-level radio up to the high-level application layer, ensuring all aspects of the technology are fully specified
Interop-centric specification: Comprehensive, multi-vender interoperability testing is conducted during the specification development process, not after specification release
Time-tested tools and processes: A 20-year history of delivering the qualification tools and processes needed to ensure global, multi-vendor interoperability

“Multi-vendor interoperability is a major factor in determining how fast markets develop,” said Russ Sharer, VP Global Marketing and Business Development, Fulham. “Fulham is excited to finally see a wireless, multi-vendor, interoperable standard for lighting controls and we believe Bluetooth mesh networking will greatly expand the size and functionality of the market.”

Mature, trusted technology

Selection of a mesh networking technology is a critical decision for any developer, and it is a make or break factor in the success of a solution. By selecting Bluetooth technology, developers can deliver richer solutions with a faster time to market.

Value-added services: A mesh network built using Bluetooth technology can support additional services, such as asset tracking and way finding
A mature ecosystem: The Bluetooth ecosystem provides the best enabling technology, along with the tools and services that shrink the time to market
Global brand awareness: Bluetooth is a trusted global brand that stands for simple, secure wireless connectivity

“Within the building automation market, there is a growing focus on connected lighting and the role it can play as a platform for providing automation services throughout a facility,” said Szymon Slupik, president and CTO of Silvair and chairman of the mesh working group within the Bluetooth SIG. “A smart lighting platform built on top of Bluetooth mesh networking can also support asset tracking, point of interest, and way-finding services. These value-added capabilities are part of why we believe Bluetooth is an ideal technology for enabling a mesh network.”

Bluetooth Mesh Availability

The Bluetooth mesh networking specifications, as well as the tools required to qualify Bluetooth products with mesh networking support, are now available at the Bluetooth website. Bluetooth mesh networking operates on Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) and is compatible with core specification version 4.0 and higher.

To learn more about Bluetooth mesh, visit bluetooth.com/mesh.

Dialog Semiconductor Ushers in the Bluetooth® 5 Era with SmartBond 5.0 DA14586: Smarter, More Flexible, and Even Lower Power

2017-03-01

One of the 1st Bluetooth 5 qualified SoCs, DA14586 integrates microphone interface for intelligent voice control of cloud connected products w/mic & speaker.

One of the first Bluetooth® 5 qualified SoCs, DA14586 also includes an integrated microphone interface allowing customers to add intuitive intelligent voice control to any cloud connected product that has a microphone and speaker.

London, United Kingdom – March 1, 2017 – As the connected devices market enters a new era of connectivity with Bluetooth 5.0, Dialog Semiconductor plc, a provider of highly integrated power management, AC/DC power conversion, solid state lighting (SSL) and Bluetooth® low energy (LE) technology, today announced the next generation in its SmartBond family – DA14586. The all-new System-on-Chip (SoC) is the company’s first standalone device that is qualified to support the latest Bluetooth 5.0 specification, delivering the lowest power consumption and unrivalled functionality for advanced use cases.

Derived from the SmartBond™ DA14580, which has proven to be the smallest, highest integrated and lowest power Bluetooth SoC in mass production over the past three years, the DA14586 maintains this leading flagship position for these benchmark metrics, offering even greater flexibility to create more advanced applications with the smallest footprints and power budgets. Other enhancements include an advanced power management setup with both buck and boost converters, which enable support of most primary cell battery types.

“The Bluetooth 5 standard is one of the most highly-anticipated developments in connectivity, and Dialog is amongst the first out of the gate to enable development on this standard with a qualified standalone SoC,” said Sean McGrath, SVP and GM, Connectivity, Dialog Semiconductor. “Not only is DA14586 following in the SmartBond tradition of flexibility and low power consumption, but now, with Bluetooth 5 support and an integrated microphone interface, we have an SoC that opens the door to a new era of connected devices and applications.”

In addition to Bluetooth 5 support, DA14586 has double the memory of its predecessor for user applications, making it ideal for adding Bluetooth low energy to proximity tags, beacons, connected medical devices and smart home applications. Meanwhile, an integrated microphone interface reduces the system cost of voice-command remote controls, a fast growing emerging market. Advanced features are also included allowing for Mesh based networked applications to be simply supported.

Like all Dialog SmartBond solutions, DA14586 is easy to design-in and supports fully-hosted applications. The SoC is supported by a complete development environment and Dialog’s SmartSnippets™ software to help engineers optimize software for power consumption. For cost-sensitive applications, the SmartBond family will also include the DA14585 with integrated One-Time Programmable (OTP) memory as an alternative to flash memory.

The DA14586 and DA14585 and their associated development kit will be available for purchase through Mouser and Digi-Key.

Dialog will also be showcasing the DA14586 and DA14585 devices at the upcoming Bluetooth World event in Santa Clara on the 28th and 29th of March 2017.

For more information, visit www.dialog-semiconductor.com/products/da14586

TRX Systems’ NEON® Personnel Tracker Solution Used by Houston Police to Ensure Public Safety During Super Bowl

2017-02-27

TRX Systems, developer of the NEON® Indoor Location Solution, today announced that the NEON Personnel Tracker application was used by the Houston Police to help ensure public safety in NRG Stadium for Super Bowl LI.

You can check out the Super Bowl example video here, but here’s a quick look at the technology:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwLHO-PP60A

NEON Personnel Tracker delivers mapping and location in environments where GPS is unavailable or unreliable such as inside large office buildings, in stadiums and underground. By delivering location in these “GPS-denied” environments, NEON improves both command effectiveness and safety for public safety and security personnel. NEON Personnel Tracker delivers location in both 2D and 3D and provides tracking and visualization of personnel in complex indoor and outdoor environments. Accurate tracking is accomplished using NEON’s patented location algorithms which leverage all available device sensors including inertial, magnetic, pressure, light, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and GPS signals (where available) to calculate location.

Working closely with Harris County Central Technology Services and the Houston Police, TRX deployed NEON Personnel Tracker in a solution integrated with the Motorola LEX L10 Mission Critical LTE Handhelds. The NEON solution on the LEX L10 utilized the Harris County Public Safety Broadband network at NRG Park where each officer carrying the LEX L10 with the NEON application was able to be tracked in 3D from the command center throughout the nearly 2 million square feet of NRG Stadium. With real-time 3D visualization of first responder locations inside buildings, police and other first responders have improved situational awareness that helps ensure public safety. A short video showing TRX Systems’ NEON Personnel Tracker at NRG Stadium can be found here.

“Public Safety LTE is a reality and happening right here in Texas. Harris County is committed to enhancing public safety through the use of leading edge technology,” said Shing Lin, Director Harris County CTS. “Applications enabled by Public Safety LTE networks are part of our continuing investment to safeguard the public and effectively manage our resources at major public events such as the Super Bowl.”

Apple HomeKit Bluetooth Dev Kit for iOS 10 and WatchOS 3, from Dialog

2016-12-10

Dialog Semiconductor is aiming to simplify smart home device creation with its development kit, promising reduced time-to-market and increased functionality of smart home and other IoT devices. With the recent introduction of iOS 10, Apple HomeKit is – Dialog observes – now an integral part of iOS, including its dedicated app that creates an enhanced user experience. The Apple Home app is compatible not just with iPhone, but is also optimized for iPad and the Apple Watch running watchOS 3. With the app, an Apple TV or iPad can easily be turned into a smart home hub, enabling home control from anywhere.

Dialog’s second-generation kit supports all current HomeKit Accessory Profiles within Apple’s updated IoT platform. The kit itself is built on Dialog’s DA14681 System-on-Chip (SoC), a highly-integrated single chip that is purpose-built for IoT development, providing connectivity to a variety of battery-powered devices. It is presented as the first SoC on the market with dedicated hardware acceleration for HomeKit security operations which ensures end-to-end application encryption, safeguarding personal information in transit.

“Our new development kit lowers the barriers for smart home device development,” said Sean McGrath, SVP and GM Connectivity, Automotive and Industrial Business Group. “Beyond the simplicity of the highly integrated connectivity SoC at the heart of the kit, its fastest response times create the best possible user experience for end devices, with initial pairing taking less than 2.8 seconds and responding faster than 250 msec whenever an iOS device issues a command. This creates an instant response whenever a user interacts with a HomeKit-powered light, door lock, smoke detector or other accessory.”

The DA14681 supports Bluetooth 4.2 to provide seamless connectivity, and balances power efficiency and performance, with an ARM Cortex M0 processor, expandable flash memory, a Power Management Unit (PMU) for sensors and motors, and built-in charger that supports a USB interface. The kit consumes less than 5 µA on standby, uses 170 kB of Flash memory and provides 64 kB of RAM for apps to utilize, even allowing user defined profiles to further customize applications on top of pre-configured HomeKit profiles.

To give developers all of the tools they need to create next-gen IoT applications, the DA14681 development kit consists of the HomeKit SDK, Basic and Pro versions of the kit, and a flexible add-on board to interface with the separately available MFi chip.

The HomeKit development kit and add-on board are now available from Avnet, Digi-Key and Mouser.

Dialog; www.dialog-semiconductor.com/products/da14681-homekit-development-kit