ALDA Chicago is happy to have Steve Thunder present
The Future of Hearing Access: Auracast™ Broadcast Audio & Caption Companion
This presentation is in the Helen Plum meeting room and will be Captioned.
Steve Thunder is the President of Thunder Hearing & Sound and an acoustic engineer with more than 16 years of experience specializing in assistive listening technologies. Throughout his career, he has designed and implemented hearing accessibility solutions for houses of worship, performing arts centers, museums, hotels, conference facilities, educational institutions, and other public venues across the country.
This presentation will explain what Auracast is, how it works, and why it is being called one of the biggest advances in assistive listening technology in decades. Steve will discuss which hearing aids, cochlear implants, earbuds, headphones, and smartphones currently support Auracast, what "Auracast Ready" and "Auracast Enabled" mean, and what users can expect as more compatible devices become available.
The session will also introduce Caption Companion, a live AI-powered captioning solution that displays spoken words in real time. Attendees will learn how captions can work alongside assistive listening to improve understanding in meetings, presentations, worship services, museums, theaters, and community events.
Topics include:
- Understanding what Auracast is and how it differs from hearing loops, FM, and infrared systems.
- How to determine whether your hearing aids, cochlear implants, or accessories are compatible with Auracast.
- What to expect when attending venues that offer Auracast assistive listening.
- How Caption Companion provides another layer of accessibility through live captions.
- Tips for advocating for better hearing accessibility in your local community.
- A look at the rapidly growing ecosystem of Auracast-compatible hearing devices and consumer electronics.
Whether you're an experienced hearing aid or cochlear implant user, a family member, or simply interested in the latest accessibility technology, this session will help you better understand the tools that are shaping the future of hearing access and how you can take advantage of them as they become more widely available.
Light snacks will be provided bring your own beverages.
1:30 - 2:00pm Enjoy light snacks and chit chatting
2:00 - 3:00pm Presentation
RSVP through September 24th.
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Email Sue at saclady69@gmail.com through September 24th with questions.
NOTE: If you need a ride or can offer one to another ALDAn, please email Linda at aldachicago@gmail.com. We will do our best to get you there and back.
