Ultraportable ultrasound machine paves the way for wacky ultrasound pranks

It might look more like a Radio Shack project kit than a serious piece of medical equipment, but George K. Lewis -- a third year biomedical engineering PhD student -- has developed a pocket-sized ultrasound device that can be manufactured for about $100. Typically, a biomedical ultrasound unit can weigh 30 pounds and cost upwards of $20,000. The developer has high hopes for the device -- not only will an ultraportable ultrasound bring the technology to places where it might have been impractical before (such as combat units in the field and remote populations), hopefully the inexpensive contraption will spur innovative new uses for the device. So, what's stranger -- scoping your unborn child with a homebrew ultrasound, or using an incubator that once lived as a Toyota 4Runner? That's a tough call...

[Via Inventor Spot]

[James @ Dec 24th 2008 12:10PM]

first

[Jon Nelson @ Dec 24th 2008 12:16PM]

Douchebag

[konshuss @ Dec 24th 2008 12:18PM]

@James: shutupayouface.

i can't wait to continually punch in the face soon-to-be dads who switch from carrying their goddamn ultrasound photos with them everywhere , to showing everyone live every chance they get.

[James @ Dec 24th 2008 1:23PM]

I think I'm going to change my name because I don't want to be associated with your ilk. Maybe for now on I will call myself notJames?

I mean seriously, we should move all you "first" people onto an island so you can all finally make some friends.

[Jason @ Dec 24th 2008 1:36PM]

It's ok, notJames. We can simply hover our cursor over your name and tell that the profile number is different - if we really gave a crap.

[eggothewaffle @ Dec 24th 2008 12:13PM]

I love the picture.

"Oh hey there; don't mind me. I'll just tinker over here and watch you undress."

[Rehehelly @ Dec 24th 2008 12:14PM]

I wanna know what hat he's wearing.

[ChuChu @ Dec 24th 2008 12:22PM]

Haha, well played eggo.

[Mycroft @ Dec 24th 2008 12:20PM]

That guy is creeping me out. I expect him to have a third eye under that knit cap.

[Jongscx @ Dec 24th 2008 12:18PM]

Seriously, do you guys READ the articles?

This is a Theraputic Ultrasound Machine, NOT an Ultrasound IMAGING machine. You could Massage the unborn child, not "scope it". The "uses in battlefield and remote regions" is for inducing better bloodflow through ultrasonic waves... NOT for use in finding broken bones or the like.

Yes, it's sensational and will get people to click on it... but this guy did not just invent a machine that will let us look inside us for $100...

[CleverEndeavor @ Dec 24th 2008 12:20PM]

wouldn't that be awesome if we could look inside ourselves?

[bolezhinkov @ Dec 24th 2008 12:20PM]

deep breathes, its ok.

[CleverEndeavor @ Dec 24th 2008 12:23PM]

Breathes in, breathes out....
im okay

[Jason @ Dec 24th 2008 1:39PM]

Oh, so it's like sex or something?

[Jason @ Dec 24th 2008 1:40PM]

OH shit, except for the unborn child part, I really should read the entire comment before replying.

Could someone please Lowest rank that quickly for the comfort of all?

[thomas @ Dec 24th 2008 5:23PM]

i read the headline and saw that this thing had "ultra" in its name, not once, but twice. that alone is note worthy. i need not read on

[Jason @ Dec 24th 2008 5:43PM]

You should read on. Turns out it's not a media player. I was SO pissed.

[SOOPERGOOMAN @ Dec 24th 2008 12:25PM]

How about getting in touch with researchers at the University of Calgary and joining forces to make a portable bone reconstruction unit. Heck those Calgarians are able to regrow teeth so why not combine it with this. Could be a nice product for use in Home Therapy for deep muscle tissue injuries. Ahh it gives me the familiar inner warm tingling feeling.

[Simon @ Dec 24th 2008 12:34PM]

"combat units in the field" goes before "remote populations"

You know, war is just state sponsored terrorism ... at least on christmas eve, at least pretend: one world

[Cranius Lupus @ Dec 24th 2008 12:55PM]

its called simple list alphabetization (spelling). "Combat" comes before "remote"

Geez...

[Mycroft @ Dec 24th 2008 1:06PM]

Well, since many people in this 'one world' do not give a hoot that it is Christmas Eve, your statement is even more self-centered and idiotic. You want to play pretend? How about you pretend to not be such a mistakenly self-righteous bore?

[Simon @ Dec 24th 2008 1:42PM]

Just pretend *you* live in a part of the world where it actually means something. But I guess it's way to late for that ...

And about "alphabetization" ... yeah, sure ... pretend all is fine and keep on justifiying anything with made up lies. Just like "it's all about democracy and freedom". Oil, money, power got nothing to do with it ... yeah, sure ... keep it up ...

[Mycroft @ Dec 24th 2008 2:02PM]

"Just pretend *you* live in a part of the world where it actually means something."

Where what means something? Your myopic world view? You want to know where that means something? It is between your ears.

[Simon @ Dec 24th 2008 2:08PM]

"at least on christmas eve"

read, think, then write or shut up

[Mycroft @ Dec 24th 2008 2:46PM]

"at least on christmas eve"

And how does celebrating Christmas Eve depend on geography?

Look, you obviously are having a hard time with the thinking and writing part. That leaves you with the other two options you described..

[Simon @ Dec 24th 2008 2:54PM]

I wasn't the one pinning it on geography ... READ, IDIOT.

[Jason @ Dec 24th 2008 3:08PM]

Hey engadget, any chance we could upgrade the fade feature to a slide-n-hide.

[SOOPERGOOMAN @ Dec 24th 2008 8:45PM]

Slide and hide is a good idea, I wanna be able to blow up other comments. Maybe in a couple years that will happen... one can dream

[Aaron @ Dec 26th 2008 9:20AM]

Yes, lets let the troops that risk their @$$ every day suffer just because you don't like the government. Idiot, the military only does what the government tells them to, if you don't like war, tell your government not to start one. Otherwise, see if us troops will protect your ass the next time a terrorist comes knockin!

[Mycroft @ Dec 26th 2008 11:53AM]

Do you even read what you write?

[MRLN @ Dec 24th 2008 1:00PM]

You could alter the frequency and make it a potent weapon on the battlefield, making everybody vomit and stuff. It's probably not powerful enough, though...

[anantha92 @ Dec 25th 2008 1:31AM]

A slight mgs4 reference?

[Omar @ Dec 24th 2008 1:11PM]

Don't forget heating popcorn or hot chocolate!

[dale1v @ Dec 24th 2008 1:34PM]

-__-

That's microwave, Omar.
A free Dunce cap for you, wear it with pride young man.

[BigD145 @ Dec 24th 2008 2:08PM]

Biomedical ultrasound units are also made in Mexico and don't cost even half that amount to produce. That pocket unit? You'll see it on hospital manifests for $3,000 within a year.

[Brad Rose @ Dec 24th 2008 5:32PM]

Siemens already makes a portable ultrasound imaging device the size of a large cell phone.

[Wwhat @ Dec 25th 2008 8:27AM]

I'm sure the medical one used now also is only $150 to manufacture, it's just sold for $20000, because that's what they do in the medical world.

[meristem @ Dec 25th 2008 1:08PM]

Ultrasonics can be very dangerous. Just read up on it at wikipedia

[dzar @ Feb 20th 2009 10:44PM]

You *can* use a cellphone for diagnostic ultrasonic imaging (that's not what this guy is doing ,though). Check it out:

http://ultrasound.engineering.wustl.edu/index.php/Cell_Phone_SDK

This is still under development, it seems, but it is real. If you actually knew what goes into building an ultrasound system, you would be amazed that this works at all. You would also understand why you cannot build one for $150... the transducers cost over $100 (the thing that does the pulsing and receiving of sound waves).

Anyway, my cell phone can image inside me, now! Yippee!