Participants from a recent Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) workshop have shared valuable insights and responded positively to the Soro-tymp project - a soft robotic system being developed for targeted treatment delivery.
King's College London in collaboration with UCLH and University College London is pioneering new approaches in hearing health with the development of Soro-tymp, a soft robotic system designed to deliver therapeutics precisely and safely to the inner ear.
Funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), this cutting-edge technology aims to improve treatment outcomes for patients with hearing conditions by enabling targeted minimally invasive drug delivery.
Dr Lukas Lindenroth, Principal Investigator, and Dr Annie Howitt Sprent, Senior PPIE Officer from the School's Public Engagement team, alongside project Co-PI Prof Nishchay Mehta (UCLH) recently hosted the first PPIE workshop for the project.
The session reflected the project's strong commitment to inclusive research and innovation, bringing together members of the UCL Ear Institute's Hearing Health PPIE group to encourage open dialogue and collaborative exchange.
Members of the group, which has previously been established by the project's PPI lead Fahima Khatun, will be involved throughout the three-year project to ensure patient acceptance and viability.
The workshop featured a hands-on demonstration of the Soro-tymp device and associated tools, alongside in-depth discussions on its design, safety features and the planned validation work.
Participants responded positively, describing the device as potentially safer and more reassuring than current methods. Many felt it could help reduce anxiety around intratympanic procedures, boost patient confidence and potentially support earlier intervention, thereby leading to improved treatment outcomes.
Discussions also revolved around the potential market deployment scenarios for the device, particularly its adoption within the NHS. The group explored considerations around cost and overall affordability.
It can be scary being told you need an injection through the ear drum, I think this device will take some of the worry out of it. This will also have other applications and exciting possibilities"
Molly Berry, PPIE Patient Representative
It is a groundbreaking device with the ability to treat patients in professional hearing care settings, cheaper and faster with the ability to deliver new inner ear treatments yet to be discovered"
Geoff Hewins, PPIE Patient Representative
The PPIE workshop reflects the School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences' ongoing commitment to placing patient and public involvement at the core of its research and technology development to foster fresh perspectives, strengthen community relationships, and enhance the focus and relevance of its research.
