Iwan Roberts blends physics, tissue engineering, and neurotechnology to create tools that can move from the lab into real clinical settings. He draws on his experience as a Postdoctoral Fellow in Clinical Neurosciences at the University of Cambridge and his work as co-founder at COSA LTD. Now, he’s turning his attention to a growing and often overlooked challenge: falls.
Falls are one of the leading healthcare burdens facing the NHS, particularly among older adults and people with neurological or balance-related conditions. More than 30% of over-65s experience a fall each year, often leading to long-term decline and additional health complications. Yet clinical assessments of balance and movement are still infrequent and often based on subjective tests. Iwan wants to change that.
Iwan is developing his innovative technology to translate earable devices into clinical tools for monitoring balance, falls risk, and neurological health.
His work focuses on a novel on-ear wearable that combines multiple sensing technologies including heart rate, brain activity, eye movement, and motion tracking into a single device. By picking up important changes in real time, the device could help people get the right support sooner and make it easier to live well with long-term movement or balance challenges.
I’m passionate designing clinically useful tools that are truly practical for people to wear, use, and benefit from in their everyday lives. The Frontier Fellowship is great opportunity to take that vision further and turn advanced sensing into accessible care.
| Highlights | Context | More Info |
|---|---|---|
| Anatomical video | Demonstrates parts of the outer to inner ear. | Watch here |
| 3D Printing in Cochlear Implant Research | Discussion on how he is using 3D printing and micro-CT imaging to study and improve cochlear implants and examining how cochlear anatomy affects insertion forces during implant surgery. | Watch here |
