SEATTLE — At first glance, they look like the latest cool headphones. However, the cans are actually a watery new device to clear out earwax. The $2,700 OtoSet Ear Cleaning System, which is now the recipient of $8 million in funding, allows water to flow in and out of the ear canals.
Seattle-based medical startup SafKan Health say it’s the first FDA-approved ear cleaning device to remove mild to severe earwax impactions quickly and safely. For use by healthcare professionals only, it employs a novel system of irrigation and micro-suction technology, all built into an automated and wearable device resembling a familiar and sleek pair of headphones.
How do the headphones work?
In a quick cleaning cycle, liquid flows from solution containers through disposable ear tips and toward the walls of the ear canals to break down earwax. Continuous micro-suction draws the earwax and liquid back through the ear tips and into disposable waste containers for a simple, clean procedure.
The firm say the “device offers patients a safe, effective, and mess-free procedure.” On Friday, March 3, investment firm Unorthodox Ventures added a lead investment in SafKan Health, the developers of the OtoSet Ear Cleaning System. The $8 million funding will help the company as it debuts OtoSet, with total funding to date reaching $13 million.
“What impressed us first about Unorthodox Ventures is their knowledge of all things manufacturing, a major help for us as we grow our business,” says SafKan Health Co-Founder and CEO Sahil Diwan, according to a statement from SWNS.
“Beyond that, their willingness to assist us in all aspects of our business is what makes Unorthodox Ventures such a unique and welcome partner.”
“I’ve dedicated my career to transforming old technology for the modern era, from ceiling fans to hand sanitizer systems. SafKan Health is doing the same with OtoSet,” adds Unorthodox Ventures “Founding Contrarian” Carey Smith.
South West News Service writer Dean Murray contributed to this report.
