Traditionally, people with hearing disability wears a hearing aid and while this may seem suffice, the current technology is rather limited. It’s directional, that is what we are saying. However, with the Oticon Opn (pronounced as ‘open’) Connected Hearing Aid, it not only set to change how a person with hearing disability hears, but also offers more to improve his or her quality of life with ability to enjoy modern multimedia technology like everyone else do. While traditional hearing aid focuses on one speaker by suppressing other sound, Oticon Opn’s technology enable wearers to make sense of the speech by multiple speakers even in complex environments with background audio like music, baby crying, other chattering, motor vehicles et cetera.
This creates a sense of awareness, allowing the user to switch attention as desired and it could potentially save the user lives when walking down the street or crossing the road. Most importantly, it does so while not overloading the brain. In fact, Oticon claims that Opn reduces 20 percent listening effort and ensures wearer “remember 20 percent more.” But advanced listening technology is just half of the story. Oticon Opn is connected too and being Made For iPhone, it pairs seamlessly with iPhone to double as a quality stereo headphone and an app is available to allow user to control aspects of the hearing aid.
With TwinLink technology, it offers connectivity to a host of modern devices such as TV, tablet and other Internet of Things through IFTTT. This means Oticon Opn can be set to notified wearer of doorbell, when the laundry is done, 15 minutes before an important event, send text message or email to preset person when the hearing aid is low on battery – just to name a few. It can even switch the hearing aid to TV mode when the user says it. With hearing aids inducted into the IoTs, the possibility is virtually endless and this translates to improve quality of life which would otherwise be missing in person with hearing disability.
No words on Oticon Opn pricing and availability, but if you keen, hit up Oticon website to learn more or find out more on the power of Oticon Opn’s interaction with IoTs HERE.
Images: Oticon.
