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  1. Science & Tech
5 January 2017

This £160 “smart hairbrush“ symbolises the big problem with the Internet of Things

Is it worth the risk of hacking - and the potential invasion of privacy - to find out if you're brushing your hair wrong?

By Amelia Tait

Who wants a hairbrush that’s connected to the internet? Well, its manufacturers – Kérastase, Withings and L’Oréal – seem pretty excited about it. They unveiled the gadget at the CES technology show in Las Vegas to great fanfare.

The £160 Hair Coach is part of the “internet of things” – devices that promise to be smarter and cooler because they are connected to the web. It contains a microphone that promises to record the sound of breaking hair, and multiple sensors that will send data about your brushing technique to an app on your phone. 

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