A new way to stay connected
A clearer connection to every conversation.
Bring voices closer, whether you’re listening at home, sharing a room, or connecting to a group.
OroConnect is a flexible audio link concept, shaped around the moments when being part of the conversation matters most.
In development with accessibility in mind.
More ways to listen.
One device, many settings
One device. More ways to listen.
OroConnect is being designed to move useful audio between people, rooms and listening devices.
01Public talks
Share a speaker’s voice with Auracast listeners or an existing hearing loop.
02TV together
Send TV audio to multiple Auracast listeners in the same room.
03Group conversations
Bring microphone audio to hearing aids or personal headphones.
04Personal listening
Listen through Bluetooth or a wired headset connected to OroConnect.
A simple audio path
From the room to the listener.
Choose the source, choose how the sound is shared, and let each listener use the connection that suits them.
Explore the technologyPick up the sound
Four MEMS microphones can capture voices in a room. A TV or other source can also connect by Bluetooth Classic or analogue line input.
Shape the listening experience
XMOS audio processing is planned to help make speech clearer in challenging environments, with controls to suit the selected mode.
Send it where it helps
Route audio to Auracast hearing aids, Bluetooth headphones, a wired headset, a hearing loop transmitter, or the device’s own speaker.
A better seat for everyone
Listening should not depend on where you sit.
OroConnect began with a simple thought: people should not have to find one special seat to feel part of a shared moment. In retirement communities, some people have to sit in a particular area for a hearing loop to work well. On rail projects, feedback about loop sound quality raised another question: could a more flexible audio link help bring the speaker closer?
Auracast opens new ways to share audio. OroConnect brings that possibility together with carefully processed microphone audio and familiar wired and Bluetooth connections.
Why OroConnect exists
Designed for real moments
Different needs. One connected idea.
Each use case starts with the same goal: help people take part in the audio around them, using the devices they already have where possible.
Public talks and shared spaces
Place the device near a presenter or speaker in a retirement village, community hall, meeting room or similar space. OroConnect is being developed to capture speech with its microphone array and make it available over Auracast to compatible hearing aids and receivers.
Where an existing hearing loop is installed, the concept can also provide a line-level feed to a loop transmitter. A venue could choose Auracast, the loop, or both together, subject to the final system design.
- Give listeners more choice about where to sit
- Support Auracast-compatible hearing devices
- Connect to existing loop equipment by line out
TV audio for more than one person
A television’s Bluetooth connection is often limited to one or a small number of personal listening devices. OroConnect is intended to receive TV audio over Bluetooth Classic and rebroadcast it over Auracast, so a group with compatible hearing aids can listen together.
A TV, set-top box or other audio source could also feed the device through line in. The broadcast can be listened to on compatible hearing aids or Auracast receivers without changing the room’s speakers for everyone else.
- Bluetooth Classic or analogue line input
- Auracast broadcast for multiple listeners
- Keep shared viewing comfortable for the household
Group conversations and noisy rooms
At a café, family gathering or group activity, background noise can make it hard to follow nearby speech. The tabletop device is designed to sit among the group, capture voices through four microphones and use XMOS processing to reduce unwanted sound and support clearer listening.
The resulting audio could be sent to Auracast hearing aids, Bluetooth Classic headphones or a wired headset. The listener can choose a personal listening device without asking everyone else to change how they speak or where they sit.
- Four-microphone tabletop capture concept
- Personal audio over wireless or wired connections
- Designed for conversation, not just one-way announcements
Use headphones as a simple listening aid
For someone who cannot yet afford hearing aids, or wants an additional listening option, OroConnect with a set of headphones could offer a more affordable way to hear amplified or processed audio in selected situations.
It would be less discreet and convenient than a hearing aid and is not a medical device or a substitute for a hearing assessment. The aim is to explore a practical, lower-cost listening aid using familiar headphones, with the listening experience shaped around speech.
- Pair Bluetooth headphones or plug in a wired headset
- Use for supported conversations or shared audio
- Keep expectations clear: this is not a hearing aid
A bridge for Auracast listeners
Not everyone has an Auracast-enabled hearing aid. OroConnect is being designed to receive an Auracast broadcast and make that audio available to a listener through Bluetooth Classic headphones or a headset plugged into the device.
This receiver mode could make public broadcasts more accessible to people who already own headphones, while helping them connect to new Auracast services as they become available.
- Receive an Auracast audio broadcast
- Forward audio to Bluetooth or wired headphones
- Use as a personal receiver in supported settings
Thoughtful audio, flexible connections
The technology behind the link.
OroConnect is being developed as a small, configurable audio platform. The concept combines a multi-microphone front end with digital audio processing and several ways to pass sound on.
Four-microphone array
MEMS microphones sit around the board to capture sound from the room.
XMOS voice processing
Dedicated processing is planned for speech-focused capture and audio cleanup.
Multiple audio routes
Auracast, Bluetooth Classic, line input and output, a wired headset and an onboard speaker are part of the concept.
OroConnect is a work in progress. Specific combinations, performance and compatibility will depend on firmware, certification and final product design.
Dimensions shown are design targets.
A concept shaped by listeningThe idea behind OroConnect
Built around the moments that matter.
At a family table, in a community hall, or on a train, following a voice can help someone feel included. The first ideas for OroConnect came from seeing how difficult that can be when listening depends on sitting in one particular place or using a system that does not always sound clear.
Rather than making another basic transmitter, OroConnect explores a more capable audio link: one that can listen to a room, process speech, receive audio from other sources and share it through different listening routes.
The project is at an early development stage. Feedback from people who use hearing technology, families, venues and audio professionals will help guide the next steps.
Follow the developmentGood to know
A few questions, answered.
OroConnect is still being developed. These answers describe the direction of the concept today.
Is OroConnect available to buy? +
No. OroConnect is currently a product concept in development. The design, firmware and compatibility are still being worked through.
Will it work with any hearing aid? +
Auracast listening requires a compatible hearing aid or receiver. Bluetooth and wired options may support other headphones, depending on the final device and mode. Compatibility will be confirmed as the product develops.
Will OroConnect replace a hearing loop? +
The intention is to complement existing systems where useful. A line output is part of the concept, so OroConnect may feed an installed hearing-loop transmitter while also exploring Auracast. The final design will need to be checked against each venue’s equipment.
Is it a hearing aid? +
No. OroConnect is being explored as a shared audio and personal listening device, not as a medical hearing aid. Anyone concerned about hearing should seek advice from a qualified hearing-care professional.
Can it connect to a television? +
The concept includes Bluetooth Classic and analogue line input for audio sources such as a TV. The exact setup will depend on the television’s available outputs and the final OroConnect configuration.
Stay close to the project
Help shape what comes next.
OroConnect is being developed step by step. We’ll share more as prototypes, listening tests and product decisions take shape.
Update sign-up is coming as the project moves forward.