Inclusive hearing innovation took centre stage at this year's World Congress of Audiology in Seoul in May. 'Seoul Session - A Live Auracast™ Event' was an immersive live music experience held in a jazz club. It was the first live Auracast broadcast audio installation in South Korea, enabling high-quality, shared sound across the entire venue.
Auracast is a Bluetooth® capability that turns public sound into a direct audio stream people can access using their own compatible devices, including hearing aids, earbuds and smartphones via compatible apps. It removes the need for designated seating areas or venue-issued equipment, enabling a more flexible and accessible listening experience.
Seoul Session was a collaboration between GN, a global leader in hearing, audio, video and gaming solutions, and Ampetronic, design and manufacturer of audio induction loop systems. The event featured a special performance by Big Ocean, the first K-pop group whose members all live with profound to milder forms of hearing loss. This was followed by a live jazz performance and a panel discussion exploring accessibility and representation in music and entertainment. 
The event aimed to challenge long-held perceptions around hearing loss and to highlight the scale of misunderstanding that continues to shape the hearing loss experience globally, contributing to widespread social exclusion. Research conducted by YouGov, across Australia, the UK and the US, reveals that over a third of people with hearing loss report being perceived as rude or disengaged, and up to 40% say they are seen as less intelligent or less capable. Additionally, more than a third say others believe they should be able to 'try harder' to hear.
British comedian Angela Barnes also joined the event.
“When you’re on stage, the connection with the audience is something you feel as much as you hear," she says. "Having hearing loss has shaped how I experience those moments, it makes you very aware of connection in all its forms. That’s why this idea of technology bringing more people into the same live moment is so meaningful. It opens up what shared experience can be.”
