Innovation of the week: An internet-connected hearing aid

"With every new gadget seemingly connected to the internet to automate your life, the question arises whether a lot of those items are really useful," said Billy Steele at Engadget. The Oticon Opn, a smart hearing aid that can alert the wearer to blaring smoke detectors and chiming baby monitors even when those items are out of hearing range, promises to be a welcome exception.

Opn communicates with other internet-connected devices via If This Then That, a popular app that allows users to program gadgets to work together when certain actions are triggered. For example, Opn can be programmed to alert the wearer when someone rings a smart doorbell, or to send a text message to a family member or caregiver when its battery is getting low. Pricing and availability haven't yet been announced, "but you'll probably want to consult an audiologist if you're interested."

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