OtoSense

The doorbell rings. The smoke alarm blares. An oven timer beeps. OtoSense is designed to listen, learn and notify you of audio-based sounds in your environment.

The app works immediately upon download and comes pre-programmed knowing the sound of standard fire/smoke alarms usually found in homes, apartment buildings, offices, and public places.

You customize each sound notification, choosing flash, vibration and third-party notification, SMS text and push notification (this occurs if the app is open but you’re checking email, for example). OtoSense also connects to any Android brand smartwatch and Philips Hue Lights, adding another layer of sound notification.

PLEASE READ: Upon downloading the app, you must test the app for the smoke/fire alarms (using both the video link we send to you via email as well as activating your own alarm, if you can).

Once you've done that, now it's time to record one or more of the following audio-based sounds:

- Doorbell

- Landline telephone ringing

- Oven timer

- Standard alarm clock buzzer

- Smoke/Fire alarm

Each time a sound is recorded, you must name that sound, and if possible, tag that sound as this helps with identification, which improves your experience with the app.

Once you've recorded one of the sounds listed above, you must test the app's ability to detect that sound between 3 and 5 times and at varying distances.

Why? The sound identification relies on the microphone of your device to detect, distinguish and identify that sound and alert you accordingly.

Based on users' feedback, keeping a device near the sound source (usually within 1 to 2 feet) is ideal. If possible, downloading OtoSense onto a tablet and/or second smartphone (it works on both Android and iPhone/iPad platforms) and connecting OtoSense to a Pebble smartwatch and/or Philips Hue Lights adds yet another layer of sound notification.

By doing this, users have shared they've successfully created a “listening network” that is able to detect and notify them of audio-based sounds around them.

Key Features of OtoSense:

- Visual representation on the screen indicates sound event is occurring or has occurred meaning you don’t need to hear a sound to know a sound happened.

- Once a sound is recorded and stored in library, a Wifi connection is NOT needed to be alert to that sound.

- Connects to any Android brand smartwatch and Philips Hue Lights.

- App can be downloaded on iPhone and iPad as well using same account login information.

- Download OtoSense on all of your devices and create a listening network using the various devices in your home.

- OtoSense can record and store up to 10 sounds in "My Library"

PLEASE NOTE: OtoSense is performing real-time audio processing and that takes power so be sure to plug in your device when actively using OtoSense.

Check out some feedback from users.

“When you’re deaf like me, you live with a “fear of missing out” of sounds like smoke alarms and oven timers -- only in our case missing something could mean life or death. So for me, even if OtoSense simply helps me avoid a ruined meal due to not hearing my cooking timer, it is well worth having on my smartphone!” - Megan M.

“I connect OtoSense to my Pebble smartwatch and can be alerted to my doorbell or oven timer, two sounds I recorded and are stored in my library.” -- Travis D.

“I can’t hear my oven timer beeping when I remove my hearing aids, even if I’m in the kitchen. The same goes for the doorbell. Lack of awareness of these audio alerts can be a real problem, and OtoSense is a solution that makes sense.” -- Joyce E.