This Week in Medical Technology: An iPad-Connected Portable Ultrasound Machine


OscultUltrasoundIt’s no secret that healthcare in developing nations is severely lacking. In fact, several international health forums describe the conditions as “abysmal”. According to a company called Oscadi, an Apple-approved constructor of MFI (Made for iPhone) accessories designed for iOS, more than 60 percent of the world does not even have easy access to ultrasound machines, which can be integral in the diagnosis of health concerns. With this in mind, they set out to create Oscult, a handheld ultrasound imaging device interfaced with the Apple iPad.

OscultUltrasound2Oscult is the brainchild of Olivier Sautron and Thierry Payet, two developers who understand first-hand the limited access that people have to life-saving diagnostic ultrasound machines. This is due in large part to the high cost of the machines as well as how complicated it is to use current ultrasound diagnostic technology. With the Oscult, however, you wouldn’t necessarily need to work in a hospital or be a trained radiologist to be able to utilize the device. With the assistance of the accompanying iPad software, diagnostic reports can be sent via email (or Airdrop) and users can video conference with doctors and experts remotely to assess the severity of diagnoses. Additionally, Oscult will deliver real time images that can quickly and easily be shared with colleagues around the world, and always stays connected so that you have the option at any time to collaborate with a specialist to assist with a diagnosis. As you would probably expect from an Apple-approved company, images and patient data are then securely saved on the cloud.

OscultUltrasound1According to Oscadi, the Oscult is geared not only towards people living in remote areas or developing countries, but can be used in emergency rescue situations, by military medical personnel, and world aid organizations like Doctors Without Borders. The company further estimates that over 80 million ultrasounds are conducted each year in the United States alone, and states that each of those could, theoretically, be replaced by Oscult technology. Given those projections and statistics, Oscadi is looking at an enormous market to cater to. Plus, the lightness and convenience of Oscult alone make it a far better diagnostic option than many of the large, immobile existing ultrasound machines. To hone the little device’s skills, the company is conducting initial testing in the veterinary field. If all goes well, the Oscult will be available for sale for $15,000, which is roughly one-third the cost of the traditional ultrasound diagnostics machine.

Topics: Technology News Gadgets & Peripherals Inventions & Innovations Storage & Cloud Tablets

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