INSIGHTS / News

EarSwitch™, a member of the FWD Project, is one of eight companies to have secured support through the Innovative Devices Access Pathway (IDAP) pilot programme.

The pilot programme is an initiative to bring innovative and transformative medical devices to the NHS to help with medical needs that are currently unmet.

EarSwitch™ will join seven other medtech companies which will be supported to bring their devices to market and transform the way that some of the biggest causes of death and disability are treated in the UK.

Some standard medical monitoring devices like finger-clip pulse oximeters have been reported to take inaccurate readings for patients with darker skin. EarSwitch’s EarMetrics®️-Oximetry detects oxygen levels from the inner ear canal instead, which is not pigmented, irrespective of the person’s skin colour. It could offer better quality readings and a more innovative approach to oxygen level monitoring.

Nick Gompertz, Founder, EarSwitch™ said: “I’m delighted that EarSwitch has been chosen for the UK Government’s £10m funded IDAP pilot, which emphasises quicker access to life-changing technologies for the NHS, which echos our mission.”

“Like the government’s medtech blueprint, we believe innovation should translate into real societal benefits. Our inclusion in this programme reflects our commitment to this goal, exemplified by our oxygen monitoring device. EarMetrics®️-Oximetry aims to minimise skin colour bias in oxygen readings, potentially saving lives and improving patient care.”

EarSwitch™ is a current member of the SETsquared-delivered FWD Project, which offers a range of support for health and wellbeing start-ups and SMEs in the West of England. Before this, EarSwitch was supported as part of SETsquared’s Scale-Up Programme to successfully bid for a NIHR i4i grant alongside the University of Bath to help people with motor neurone disease/ALS to communicate.

Join EarSwitch™ and a cohort of innovative health tech businesses in the West of England

The FWD Project is currently open for applications to health and wellbeing businesses in the West of England which are looking for support to develop a scalable business model and raise private investment and grant funding to take their products and devices forward.

Find out more about The FWD Project

 

Find out more about the eight business that secured IDAP funding