Ultrasound technology offers nearly endless applications for portable and wearable monitoring and diagnostics. Yet application owners face tremendous obstacles in the earliest stages of development. Getting from an idea to a working prototype can be time-consuming, costly and challenging. TNO at Holst Centre aims to remove those barriers and accelerate development to ensure innovators can realise their market ambitions.
Rapid, affordable prototype development
Wearable ultrasound development typically faces three recurring problems. First, early research is prohibitively expensive. Second, designing the lightweight and comfortable form factor for a wearable yet effective device is difficult. Third, commercially available portable probes generate high-quality images, but withhold access to the unfiltered, raw RF data essential to the underlying science. These challenges can slow – or even prevent – device development.
Accelerating time-to-market
TNO at Holst Centre’s distinctive approach reduces these roadblocks. We offer the technology and years of expertise to swiftly co-develop a working prototype of a proposed device. Application owners can use the prototype to demonstrate the device in practice, evaluate the product/market fit, develop needed software and interfaces, and secure funding for further development. By eliminating the time and cost of early development, we accelerate time-to-market and support a diverse offering of portable and wearable ultrasound devices.
Demonstrable technology
Our wired ultrasound setup is built around a small form factor probe head connected to a readout unit via a thin, earphone-like cable. The readout unit interfaces with a laptop, where ultrasound data can be visualised, processed and stored. The probe head integrates an ultrasound transmitter and a low-noise amplifier placed in close proximity to the transducer, maximising signal-to-noise ratio. All unfiltered, raw RF data is provided to the application owner to further optimisation.
Wide range of applications
Whether the aim is wearable devices for heart, bladder or lung monitoring, maternity support, muscular or orthopedic evaluation, sports or beauty applications or beyond, TNO at Holst Centre can offer low-cost, rapid prototyping that accelerates development. Innovative application owners can capitalise on the growing market in wearable ultrasound devices and streamline development toward wireless, miniaturised systems.
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