An ageing global population and preference for ageing-in-place pose the opportunity for homebased robots to assist older adults with their daily routines. However, there is limited research into the experiences of older adults using robots in their own homes. In this descriptive qualitative feasibility study, older self-supporting and community-dwelling adults with various age-related health needs used Bomy, a dailycare robot in their homes for up to one week. The study explored the usefulness of the robot and participants' perceptions and experiences of using it. Bomy reminded them of daily activities and delivered cognitive stimulation games. Semi-structured in-person interviews were conducted, and data were analyzed thematically. Findings revealed an acceptance toward robots and the value of assistive dailycare robots. Participants perceived Bomy as a companion and made suggestions for improvement, including resolving technical issues associated with long-term use. Future functions should be personalizable, to accommodate each user's health needs and could also include smoke detection and reading aloud functions. Dailycare robots show promising potential in elderly care, especially in providing reminders for medication, health and wellbeing. This study highlights the importance of co-design and testing robotics in the environments for which they have been developed. Widespread implementation of Bomy might be feasible in the future, with some further adjustments.

We and others have previously identified signalling pathways associated with the adenosine A1 receptor (A1R) as important regulators of cellular responses to injury in the cochlea. We have shown that the “post-exposure” treatment with adenosine A1R agonists confers partial protection against acoustic trauma and other forms of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). The aim of this study was to determine if increasing A1R responsiveness to endogenous adenosine would have the same otoprotective effect. This was achieved by pharmacological targeting of the Regulator of G protein Signalling 4 (RGS4). RGS proteins inhibit signal transduction pathways initiated by G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) by enhancing GPCR deactivation and receptor desensitisation. A molecular complex between RGS4 and neurabin, an intracellular scaffolding protein expressed in neural and cochlear tissues, is the key negative regulator of A1R activity in the brain. In this study, Wistar rats (6–8 weeks) were exposed to traumatic noise (110 dBSPL, 8–16 kHz) for 2 h and a small molecule RGS4 inhibitor CCG-4986 was delivered intratympanically in a Poloxamer-407 gel formulation for sustained drug release 24 or 48 h after noise exposure. Intratympanic administration of CCG-4986 48 h after noise exposure attenuated noise-induced permanent auditory threshold shifts by up to 19 dB, whilst the earlier drug administration (24 h) led to even better preservation of auditory thresholds (up to 32 dB). Significant improvement of auditory thresholds and suprathreshold responses was linked to improved survival of sensorineural tissues and afferent synapses in the cochlea. Our studies thus demonstrate that intratympanic administration of CCG-4986 can rescue cochlear injury and hearing loss induced by acoustic overexposure. This research represents a novel paradigm for the treatment of various forms of SNHL based on regulation of GPCR.

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Introduction: Tinnitus assessment and management is an important component of audiology. The benefits of continuing education (CE) workshops in the field of tinnitus have not been published. This study evaluated the outcomes of a workshop centered around a Sound Therapy and Aural Rehabilitation for Tinnitus (START) framework. Our hypotheses were that a CE workshop would (1) be useful, (2) improve clinician's knowledge and willingness to undertake tinnitus practice, and (3) result in learners using knowledge gained in their practice. Methods: Twenty-five participants attending a 3-day tinnitus workshop were invited to complete an evaluation immediately and 3 months after the workshop’s completion. The workshop consisted of seminars and practical sessions. The pedagogical approaches employed were experiential (theory building, reflection, and testing) and community of practice (shared experiences). Results: Participants reported on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = not useful—5 = excellent) a high level of satisfaction both immediately after the workshop (ratings of usefulness: mean, 4.8; SD, 0.4; willingness to practice: 4.6; SD. 0.6; ability to manage: 4.6; SD, 0.5; all “excellent” ratings) and 3 months later (ratings of usefulness: mean, 4.2; SD, 0.9, “very useful;” willingness to practice: 4.6; SD, 0.6, “excellent;” ability to manage: 4.1; SD. 0.5, “very useful”). Open-ended questions indicated participants made changes in their practice that reflected material provided in the CE. Conclusion: The workshop was successful in improving knowledge and confidence of audiologists in undertaking tinnitus assessment and management, but the need for ongoing support and supervision was a common theme.