10046893The Tympa Connect Platform: a novel, game-changing UK solution to the global problem of hearing loss by optimising the successful first time fitting of hearing aids.ClosedCollaborative R&DInnovate UKTeam: Tympa is the digital health market leader with a solution for the identification of ear conditions, treatment of wax impaction, and hearing screening, all delivered by allied health professionals in various community settings. Currently there are no direct competitors for Tympa, there are companies which perform individual elements the Tympa system delivers but none which bring it all together in one point of care tool. The nearest competitor globally is able to perform hearing assessments, but is unable to facilitate safe removal of earwax which is pertinent for diagnosis of disease. Need: Our existing customers from multiple sectors approached Tympa to ask us to develop an innovation to help them better fit hearing aids for their patients/customers - providing optimal performance of hearing aids in 1 visit rather than the average of 4 visits to improve take-up and long-term use. Hearing loss is a global issue. 1 in 6 of the UK adult population is affected by hearing loss. 11 million could benefit from hearing aids but only ~2 million people use them (NHSE/RNID, 2021). 20% of owners do not use them, often because they feel they are not performing well and providing no/or little benefit to them. Innovation: to design, develop and evaluate a first-in-market, novel digital decision support system prototype powered by AI (Tympa Connect (Connect)) to enable non-medical staff to identify those who would benefit from hearing aids following a Tympa hearing screening assessment and then, if required, optimally fit the hearing aids. Connect will secure Tympa's and UK's position as a market leader in the diagnosis and management of ear and hearing care. Work done: Pre-project feasibility work established technical, managerial and commercial feasibility, this also took into account patient feedback on the desirability of developing a smart, novel single solution for fitting hearing aids.