On Jan. 24, 2024, Oregon Health & Science University announced that Pamela Runner, 77, of Corvallis, became the first person on the West Coast to have a cochlear implant inserted into her ear with the help of a small surgical robot by iotaSOFT system.

On December 21, 2023, Pamela became the first person on the West Coast to have a cochlear implant inserted into her ear with the help of a small surgical robot. Her electronic hearing device was activated three weeks later, on January 12.

Cleared by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2021, the iotaSoft Insertion System uses a thumb-sized robot to precisely guide the placement of cochlear implants into the inner ear. The robot-assisted system inserts electrodes about 10 times slower than even the most skilled surgeons. Its ultra-slow insertion has been shown to reduce unintentional damage during surgery and better preserve the inner ear’s tiny, delicate structures.