Auri™, the first Auracast™ broadcast audio-based assistive listening system, has been selected for deployment in Bristol Temple Meads Station to increase audio accessibility for passengers
Newark-on-Trent, UK – 22 March 2025 – Ampetronic, a leading provider of hearing loop systems, will test its Auracast™ broadcast audio-based assistive listening system, Auri™, at Bristol Temple Meads Station in Bristol, England, as part of Connected Places Catapult’s the Station Innovation Zone programme. Ampetronic is one of two companies selected by Connected Places Catapult from a shortlist of eight to develop proposals aimed at enhancing the passenger experience at Bristol Temple Meads Station. Ampetronic proposed Auri™ to make audio announcements in the bustling station accessible for everyone.
Connected Places Catapult, the UK’s innovation accelerator for transport, the built environment, cities, and local growth, developed the Station Innovation Zone programme in partnership with Network Rail and with support from Innovate UK. The programme aims to reduce barriers to innovation and serves as a showcase where rail technology innovators, buyers, and investors can collaborate to shape the stations of tomorrow .
Ampetronic will deploy Auri™ at Bristol Temple Meads Station over six months, beginning Spring 2025, and gather feedback on its performance and reception in the high-traffic transit environment.
Auri™: Pioneering Auracast™ for public transport
Ampetronic developed Auri™ with Listen Technologies, a provider of advanced wireless listening solutions. The companies are strategic partners under the Allvida umbrella. They designed Auri™ to let venues and end users adopt Auracast™ broadcast audio technology, a new standard for Bluetooth Low Energy Audio, for assistive listening. The system addresses audio accessibility challenges in public spaces such as transport hubs and rail stations.
Auri™ transmitters deliver high-quality, low-latency, multi-channel venue audio to an unlimited number of Auracast™ compatible consumer devices, such as hearing aids, cochlear implants, smartphones, and earbuds. When Auri™ is deployed at Bristol Temple Meads Station, travellers will access station audio through their personal devices and hear announcements clearly.
“We’re thrilled to have been chosen as accessibility innovators for the Station Innovation Zone to support the development of Auri™ for transport,” said Jon Hoskin, Business Development Manager at Ampetronic . “This opportunity allows us to pioneer the world’s first public transport deployment of Auracast™, demonstrating how this technology can enhance access to audio and improve passenger experiences. With Auri™, we’re setting a new standard for accessible audio, ensuring clearer communication in transport environments and driving the future of inclusive travel."
Auri™ provides a seamless and inclusive audio experience for all users
Bristol Temple Meads Station is Bristol’s oldest and largest railway station and a hub for a local network and long-distance routes. It has 13 active platforms across eight tracks and serves more than 10 million passengers each year.
Access to clear and timely audio information in the rail station is critical to providing an inclusive and safe passenger experience for all travellers. Passengers with hearing loss face significant challenges in accessing important announcements in transit centre environments due to low sound quality, background noise, or a lack of assistive listening technology. These challenges may be compounded by complex station layouts and high traffic.
Neurodiverse individuals, first-time travellers and tourists, elderly passengers, and passengers who rely on audio clarity to understand spoken announcements may also find transit centres and rail stations challenging.
By implementing Auri™, public transport operators and venue managers can significantly increase access to clear, high-quality station audio for passengers. They also will increase safety and operational efficiencies, improve passenger satisfaction, and demonstrate leadership in inclusive design.
About Connected Places Catapult
Connected Places Catapult is the UK’s innovation accelerator for transport, the built environment, cities and local growth. We provide impartial ‘innovation as a service’ for public bodies, businesses, and infrastructure providers to catalyse step-change improvements in the way people live, work and travel.
We connect businesses and public sector leaders to cutting-edge research to spark innovation and grow new markets. We run technology demonstrations and SME accelerators to scale new solutions that drive growth, spread prosperity, and reduce carbon emissions. cp.catapult.org.uk
About Ampetronic
Ampetronic is a global leader in the design and manufacture of assistive listening solutions, specialising in hearing loop systems. With more than 30 years of experience, Ampetronic has been at the forefront of developing technologies that enhance communication accessibility for individuals with hearing impairments. Their solutions are widely used in diverse sectors, including education, hospitality, corporate, and public spaces. All Ampetronic solutions are developed to provide a genuine benefit to those who experience hearing loss. For more information, check ampetronic.com.
The Bluetooth® word mark and logos are registered trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. The Auracast™ word mark and logos are trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. Any use of such marks by Listen Technologies Corporation is under license. Other trademarks and trade names are those of their respective owners.
Media Contact:
Ella Revill, Ampetronic
ella.revill@ampetronic.com