A Bluetooth-based Embedded Platform for Real-time Audio Algorithm Validation

This paper presents a real-time algorithm validation platform on a Raspberry Pi 5 with Bluetooth audio streaming. It supports unidirectional transport through the Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP) and bidirectional transport through the Hands-Free Profile (HFP), forming a testbed for evaluating algorithms under realistic wireless conditions. The software stack combines BlueZ over D-Bus and an ALSA audio layer. As proof of concept, a classic DSP algorithm (echo generation) and a speech translation pipeline were deployed; both achieved a real-time factor (RTF) below 1 (echo: negligible, translation: 0.97 on A2DP), confirming that the platform sustains computationally diverse workloads without violating real-time constraints.