OTICON ANNOUNCES OTICON OPN™, THE NEXT GENERATION HEARING AID THAT UNLOCKS A WHOLE NEW WORLD OF SOUND

Opn with revolutionary BrainHearing™ technology is the first hearing aid proven to be ‘easier’ on the brain

WORLD’S FIRST ‘INTERNET OF THINGS’ HEARING AID WITH REVOLUTIONARY TECHNOLOGY TO CONQUER NOISY ENVIRONMENTS

LONDON, JUNE 23 2016: Oticon, industry leaders in advanced audiology and hearing aid technology, has today announced the launch of Oticon OpnTM, a groundbreaking new listening device that introduces a number of world firsts and overcomes challenges today’s most advanced solutions have been unable to solve.

• Through the ultra-fast Velox™ platform, Opn can handle noisy environments and follow rapidly changing conversations involving several speakers – overcoming the infamous ‘restaurant dilemma’.

• Opn with revolutionary BrainHearing™ technology is the first hearing aid proven to be ‘easier’ on the brain, reducing cognitive load for more comfortable listening and improving both memory and understanding.

• Opn introduces TwinLink™, the first dual communication system to combine binaural processing with streamer-free connectivity.

• As the world’s first listening device compatible with the web-based service IFTTT (If This Then That), Opn can unlock a world of potential for the Internet of Things and connected device communication.

Advanced listening technology

New Oticon Opn™ is a paradigm shift in hearing aids that combines breakthrough technologies proven to enable people with hearing loss to hear better and remember more with less listening effort. Powered by the ultra-fast and precise Velox™ platform, the newest BrainHearing solution from Oticon employs an ”open sound” approach, handling multiple speech and noise sources, even in complex listening situations. In keeping with Oticon’s long-standing commitment to providing the best audiology, Oticon Opn is the first hearing aid to feature two dedicated communication systems. TwinLink™ technology consists of one dedicated system for optimised binaural processing and one system for direct streamer-free connectivity. The new communication technology ensures hassle-free communication without compromising binaural capabilities or battery consumption.

Through BrainHearing, Opn supports the brain’s ability to make sense of sound and can significantly reduce the cognitive load on the user. Tests have consistently shown that Opn increases speech understanding by 30%* with 20% less listening effort* required, which allows users to also remember 20% more** of what was said.

“Oticon has always been about audiology and technology working in harmony, and with Opn we’re introducing new and groundbreaking technology to address real issues that affect those with hearing loss,” said Søren Nielsen, President of Oticon A/S. “Opn opens up a whole new world of sound, allowing users to manage multiple speakers in difficult situations such as dinner conversations, and to benefit from technological advances that were previously out of reach. Opn can make a real difference to the lives of people, young and old, who suffer from hearing loss.”

The Internet of Things That Matter

Opn is the first hearing aid that connects to and interacts with the internet, embracing an “Internet of Things that matter”, where devices and services people depend on for their health and safety join today’s more entertainment and convenience-oriented offerings. Through project ON, a new technology compatible with the online service If This Then That (ifttt.com), Oticon introduces its latest-generation hearing aids to the Internet of Things, making it possible to communicate directly with connected devices such as door bells, smoke detectors and baby alarms.

“With Opn we’ve taken a giant leap forward – for both hearing aids and the Internet of Things,” said Søren Nielsen. “The potential of IoT is vast, but on a consumer level we’ve largely seen devices that focus on convenience. With Opn, the Internet of Things starts to matter – you could say that this will change people’s lives.”

For more information, please visit Oticon.global/Opn

*Compared to Alta2 Pro
**Individual benefit may vary depending on prescription

ABOUT OTICON

500 million people worldwide suffer from hearing loss. It is Oticon's ambition that our customers – hearing clinics throughout the world – prefer to use our products for people with impaired hearing. The majority of people with hearing loss are over the age of 50, with 8 per cent under the age of 18. Based on passion, dedication and professional expertise, Oticon designs and manufactures hearing aids for both adults and children. Oticon supports every kind of hearing loss from mild to severe and we pride ourselves on developing some of the most innovative hearing aids on the market. Headquartered out of Denmark, we are a global company and part of William Demant Holding Group with more than 11,000 employees and revenues of over DKK 10 billion. www.oticon.global

Learn more about the Oticon Opn here

For more information contact:
Paul Lester
The PR Room Ltd
Tel: 0845 094 2902