Auracast and hearing devices: a scoping review on connectivity and accessibility for individuals with hearing loss in public environments.
Lucas Marini Gonçalves, Anderson Vinícius de Moraes Ortega, Thais Corina Said de Angelo and 3 others
No clinical trial has tested whether Auracast improves hearing or reduces listening effort.
The 17 publications this review found are technical descriptions, manufacturer announcements, and early pilots — the technology is promising on paper but unproven in practice, and pediatric hearing aids don't support it yet.
Key findings
1The review identified 17 publications, but found a significant gap in clinical or experimental studies evaluating Auracast's effectiveness in improving hearing, reducing auditory effort, or increasing adherence to hearing aid use in real-world contexts.
2Auracast-enabled hearing aids are not yet available in pediatric lines, limiting their application in younger populations.
3Large-scale adoption depends on the IEC 60118-17 standard, scheduled for December 2027, and one source estimates Auracast will be widely present in public spaces by 2030.
Still to come
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
No clinical or experimental studies were found; the evidence base consists of technical documents, manufacturer announcements, and conference abstracts, so no claim about patient benefit can be made. The search used a single keyword ('Auracast') without controlled vocabulary, which may have missed relevant work under different terminology. Auracast is not yet available in pediatric hearing-aid lines, so the technology cannot be considered for children at all. The IEC 60118-17 standard is not expected until December 2027, meaning the technical specifications that would govern clinical use are still in flux. Most included sources are from manufacturers or industry bodies, introducing a potential bias toward positive framing of the technology.
Declared interests
Funded by the Institutional Program for Scientific Initiation Scholarships (PIBIC, 3407/2024) and FAPESP (2024/05187-6), both Brazilian academic/granting bodies. No industry funding, no manufacturer involvement in study design or writing, and no conflicts of interest declared beyond the funding sources.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the repeated language about Auracast's 'transformative potential' or 'revolutionary' impact as evidence that it improves hearing outcomes. The review found zero clinical trials; every included source is a technical description, a manufacturer announcement, or an early pilot. A patient who switches to an Auracast-compatible hearing aid today has no published evidence that their listening effort, comprehension, or quality of life will improve, and the technology's specifications are not yet locked in by an international standard.
Summarised by AI from the full paper, without a clinician reviewing it. Check it against the source before it changes what you do. Read it on PubMed →