TTP and Mindspire partnered to turn complex neurotechnology into a wearable solution - removing surgical barriers and unlocking investor confidence.
Context:
Tinnitus affects 13% of UK adults (NICE), with no definite cure currently available. Vagus nerve stimulation has emerged as a promising therapeutic approach, offering wide-ranging benefits across healthcare. Mindspire set out to harness the power of vagus nerve stimulation to target tinnitus. They partnered with TTP to create a discreet, ear-mounted wearable solution.
Solution:
Rapid prototyping and frequent user feedback drove iterations for an ergonomic fitted product concept.
Result:
The resulting product concept, supported by renders and prototypes, enabled Mindspire to present their vision to investors and paved the way to Mindspire meeting significant investor milestones.
Wearable vagus nerve stimulation to tackle tinnitus
Vagus nerve stimulation holds promise for innovative therapies: the vagus nerve is connected to organs like the heart, lungs, liver, and stomach and plays a key role in of our parasympathetic nervous system, also known as the “rest and digest” system.
Electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve has been shown to treat various neurological and stress-related psychiatric disorders, such as epilepsy or depression.
Tinnitus is a perception of sound without an external source. The condition is often linked to (and can be induced by) stress. Currently, no curative treatments are available.
Mindspire is a start-up with a mission to de-code and treat stress conditions such as tinnitus. The company saw an opportunity in developing ground-breaking therapies using the power of vagus nerve stimulation, and approached TTP to develop a product concept for a wearable neurostimulator for tinnitus treatment.
Why build a wearable solution?
Traditional vagus nerve stimulation typically requires surgery, where electrodes are implanted via small incisions in the neck to target one or both branches of the vagus nerve. This invasive approach increases both the cost and the barrier to access - making it less feasible for individuals seeking to trial vagus nerve stimulation as a potential treatment.
In their mission to revolutionise tinnitus therapy, Mindspire had a vision to follow a different path and build a non-invasive, wearable solution, which makes the therapy safer and more widely accessible for patients of tinnitus.
Mindspire’s strategy is based on recent advances in tinnitus research that showed promising results treating tinnitus using auricular transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (at-VNS), which non-invasively targets a vagus nerve branch in the ear (National Library of Medicine).
Combining user-centric problem-solving and neurostimulation experience
Mindspire approached TTP for its deep expertise in electrical nerve stimulation and its focused team of Neurotechnology specialists. TTP combines a strong understanding of the underlying biophysics with extensive experience developing active medical devices. This unique blend of technical depth and hands-on application made TTP the clear choice to support Mindspire’s vision.
The solution had to integrate several technical and usability challenges:
Trade-offs between usability and product complexity
An ideal solution for the user minimises or automates user steps, often requiring a more technically-complex and highly-integrated architecture. Drawing on TTP’s extensive experience in electromechanical neurotechnology solutions, TTP developed several product concepts, each varying in complexity, to explore different levels of user involvement. By mapping out potential sources of frustration along the user journey, TTP was able to review each variant for its usability and make an informed recommendation for a final product concept.
Ear variability
Ear variability poses a significant ergonomic design challenge. With each individual’s ear differing in shape and size, ensuring a secure, comfortable fit that applies consistent, gentle pressure on electrode contact points is far from straightforward. To address this, TTP leveraged rapid prototyping techniques and established a fast-paced iteration loop, incorporating regular feedback from in-house test users. This approach enabled continuous refinement of the earpiece design to optimise fit and performance across a broad user base.
Working collaboratively
Throughout the collaboration, TTP partnered closely with Mindspire to shape a solution aligned with both their commercial ambition and end-user needs. From day one, TTP adopted a transparent, iterative working style that kept Mindspire fully engaged in shaping and refining the product concept. Frequent online and in-person checkpoints ensured the project remained tightly aligned with Mindspire’s evolving objectives.
In the early phase, TTP conducted exploratory research on individuals living with tinnitus, using these insights to define preliminary product requirements. A hands-on workshop with Mindspire then built on this foundation, clarifying the company’s commercial strategy and enabling the team to reframe product requirements accordingly. This process also allowed Mindspire to define its user profiles with greater specificity, pinpointing the characteristics of the tinnitus patients they aimed to support.
The outcome was a well-defined product vision, including physical handling models and high-quality renders, ready for presentation to investors. Mindspire has since secured their next funding round to complete the product development process and prepare for an initial market launch.
This project exemplifies TTP’s collaborative, insight-led approach, bringing together domain specialists in neurotechnology, human-centred design, and engineering to navigate complexity and deliver a commercially compelling solution.
