Two computer science professors at Washington University in St. Louis have produced a USB
ultrasound probe which is compatible with
Windows Mobile smartphones. The project, funded by Microsoft, has developed and optimized probe that uses less power, and is enhanced for data transfer rates on cellphones. The devices could be especially useful in on-the-go situations -- for ambulances, emergencies, and for use by traveling medical staff. The makers also foresee that the device could positively effect medical practice in the developing world, where equipment and doctors can be scarce, and a small, but cellphone access is ever increasingly prevalent. We don't know when these might be commercially available, but they are hoping to sell them for around $500 -- significantly cheaper than many portable ultrasounds, which can cost almost $30,000.
Update: Check out another image after the break.
[Via
Physorg]
posted Apr 21st 2009 6:43PM
Sadly, 3 years too late for Tom and Katie.
3 years too late maybe, but go wash U!
This is very hard to read, please correct the errors, this isn't slashdot :)
I'll have to agree with you. I gave up after effect
Yeah, what's up with "effect". That's the second post in a week or so with the same error.
it seems between her last post @ 3.03 ( game park wiz app.....) and this one at 6.43 Ms Laura June got drunk.... or developed amnesia,
I agree. A poorly written post. And you were just nominated for an EPpy...
I'm so glad I'm only an Engadget reader and commenter, and not a writer.
Laura, long night?
There's nothing wrong with effect, amateurs: http://xkcd.com/326/ ;)
@micah
"has developed and optimized probe"
and that part is right too?
"and a small, but cellphone access is ever increasingly prevalent."
what about that one?
amateur.
effect /I"fEkt/ v.. . Bring about (an event or result); accomplish (an intention or desire).
Not that there isn't reason to complain, take the line:
"where equipment and doctors can be scarce, and a small, but cellphone access is ever increasingly prevalent."
That makes and a small sense no.
Now, WinMo users everywhere can use Portable Ultrasound to finally do something cool with their WinMo phone.
*not feeding the troll*
' and a small, but cellphone access is ever increasingly prevalent.'
it always good to read any work once before you send it off .....
although, i bet its changed before the masses arrive.
I repair ultrasounds for a living. This is friggin' incredible. I cannot wait to see where this goes.
Its going to lead you straight to the unemployment line with the rest of us. :P
Hey-hey-hey..no cutting.
mage6999: I know that was not meant to be taken seriously, but it's pretty obvious a USB ultrasound in a mobile phone won't ever compete with the full machines used by hospitals.
Let me know when *cameras* in phones start competing with regular digital cameras.
A few years from now you might be able to buy a $300 USB utrasound that plugs into your lappy and has good reolution.
I had fun using one for a party a while back would love to get one
As a physician in a rural clinic who does obstetrics, this would be really cool. We can't afford one of the more expensive units that the hospital has. Unfortunately you won't pry my iphone away from me for some WinMo phone...
wow I am sure your patients would be happy to hear you care more about a poor excuse for a phone than you do their unborn children.
I'm sure your patients will understand.
Not even if it saves or helps lives? And you call yourself a physician? You Ifool or Itool.
Don't worry. It won't be too long before there'll be an app for that too.
Heck, you can probably use the same device with a USB - dock connector cable...
Well, I let my patients hold my iphone and they are pretty much happy with whatever I tell them at that point. I can even charge more for the visit. They are just happy to have a glimpse of my shiny iphone. I feel sorry for you WinMO losers. Go play with your Dells in your mammas basement.
the credibility of you actually possessing an MD is flying out the window...
The probability of you being a WinMo loser is increasing
You got your MD in Guam, didn't you?
You wish you were half the doctor Doogie Howser was.
no, on the internet!
@jonny, dude, you are an ass,
let me exemplify:
patient: Doctor I need to know if my unborn child is ok
jonny: Im sorry mam, cant do, my iphone aint no ultrasound, but to confort you I have ifart installed
iphone: prurrrrhopppprrpfttftprrrrrppp, ppprtrrrpppr, pppppffftttt, prrrraaaap!
hey dumbasses, he's messing with you.
i love my zune!!!
The question is, is it as good as a $30,000 portable ultrasound? Phrases like "enhanced for data transfer rates on cellphones" makes me think the resolution is going to be quite a bit worse than a real ultrasound. That might mean a much higher chance to miss something important, potentially putting it in the realm of "the difference between life and death".
Would you trust your own life to one of those instead of an actual portable ultrasound? I'm not too sure I would.
As long as it is not Doctor Iphone on top using it, I can give it a chance depending on the situation.
yeah this really isnt supposed to be as good as the real thing, i mean the portable ones and stuff you would find in an EMT truck are for real diagnosing on the fly ... i mean with a screen on a mobile phone you are NOT ganna get a real definitive answer from it, maybe it could be used for like seeing a baby on your phone or something....
A total waste of money and resources. The iPhone with its new SDK that further enhances BT and Dock connector functionality will provide these functionalities easily. Even extend it beyond what MS the "me too" company can ever dream of. At a much lower cost.
MS announced this so that they can shout to the world that they had it first on their failing WinMobile platform. Failing platform. That why this entire exercise is futile.
*sigh* your post made me tired.
*Spits on Jubei's face*
I agree with Comments4cheap.
Oh my god, is it ever exasperating, you fucking Tools. Any credit I would consider acknowledging is thwarted by twats like you and the company itself.
Get out and stop pretending that selecting a device takes you anywhere close to the stature of the individuals inventing said device.
I pray that Apple just fucking folds and dies. I don't think I will miss any of their unfortunate attitude.
FWIW Having actually read the developer docs for the accessories, there is no way you could get this to work on the iphone - you likely would not have the bandwidth for ultrasound data over either bluetooth or serial. The accessories api does not allow interfacing with the dock connector at high speed. Arguably, the two devices could interface via wifi (or bluetooth 3.0) but it would be more complicated and error prone and make the whole setup more expensive than it needs to be.
Considering the pricing, the most appropriate device to have on hand for this is probably a nice WinMo PDA or a netbook dedicated for use with the ultrasound device. Really, at the price differences between this and normal commercial ultrasounds the $100 - $400 cost of the computing device is completely irrelevant.
So let me get this straight. If I get a WinMo phone I could potentially save lives.
If I get an iPhone I can play fart sounds.
Okay, then.
You are a twat.
As Jubei mentioned this will be squished by the iPhone version. Out in August or September after the 3.0 release.
Oh my, its an invasion of vile, foul mouthed itrolls.
Tecnology makes something good to help people and you guys slate it because it didnt come from Apple.
I guess you would rather die than have a pacemaker put in, due to the fact that the software/hardware is not made my a certain company.
As for this coming to iPhone any time in the future, wouldnt that make Apple the 'me too' company?
While we are here, just remember that Windows Mobile sold more handsets than iPhone in the last quarter. I expect it will be confirmed for last two quarters by the end of the week. There are many more Windows Mobile Devices out there than iPhone.
You people are disgusting and tarnish the Apple brand with your stupidity.
@ pedro
"Oh my, its an invasion of vile, foul mouthed itrolls.
Tecnology makes something good to help people and you guys slate it because it didnt come from Apple."
Firstly the word is technology.
And I think you are blissfully unaware of what the 3.0 update will allow. Yes it will allow cut and paste. Woopie doo. That should keep most of the M$ trolls happy. The opening up of the control port will make this kind of interface easy on the iPod.
"As for this coming to iPhone any time in the future, wouldnt that make Apple the 'me too' company?"
Maybe - but the point is that development of this kind of thing is easy on the iPhone.
"You people are disgusting and tarnish the Apple brand with your stupidity."
I think you mistake stupidity for "not seeing the world as I see it" Just because YOU think you are right doesn't make it so. Also I would like to point out that the whole point of posting a "controversial" post was to pull you fanbois out of the closet.
"While we are here, just remember that Windows Mobile sold more handsets than iPhone in the last quarter. I expect it will be confirmed for last two quarters by the end of the week. There are many more Windows Mobile Devices out there than iPhone."
Yup, Windows sold more windows mobile phones. How many different phones have windows mobile? Grats guys - BTW did you SEE the numbers from HTC - I think they are the largest WinMo supplier - they were in the crapper I believe. Probably just as well that Apple only makes one phone really? What do you think?
pedro, could you, just for a moment, please acknowledge the incredible hypocrisy you have shown?
sweet greggo made a troll post ... but you have no problem with that
RattyUK made a much less trollish reply ... and you go off the deep end
YOU are the company fanboy here - you ignored the original troll post because it was against a company you don't like, and responded to the reply, because it was against a company you do like.
Here is a tip - assess a comment on the quality of its content, not the companies it appears to be pro or anti towards.
As for your "me too" comment, remember this - that was a troll argument when Apple fanboys used it, and it is still a troll argument when fanboys like you use it now. You cannot simultaneously deride fanboys and then use the exact same words and phrases as they do, unless of course you are comfortable being a hypocrite.
Oh no, I made an error in my post. It is good to see that you perfectly fit the stereotype of an an Apple user, that is a complete asshat.
I am perfectly aware of what the iPhone update can do, this site has already discussed it at great length. Maybe when 3.0 comes out, somebody will develop a similar 'me too' solution for the iPhone.
Your itrolling here is obvious. Pull the fanbois out of the closet? What are you, some kind of Apple crusading Wiesenthal?? The orignal story made no mention of Apple, but appears to have attracted fawning Apple fans such as yourself. I would advise you to keep your self confessed flamebait to yourself.
I am fully aware of the HTC results, profits down 30% off a 3.5% drop in revenues. Your itrolling and FUD does not count for much when people look at the actual numbers and analysis.
Your stupid trolling does tarnish the reputation of Apple.
My comment was not only directed at RattyUK, but the the itrolls that preceeded him also. I generally would not consider one person to be an invasion. Just his foul mouth pushed me to reply.
You appear to be rather judgemental, how do you know what companies I do and do not like?
As for my 'me too' comments, I guess that some people have little sense of irony.
RattyUK: What about trillions that will die before the 3.0 release? All you care about is keeping your iPhoney
Greggo - there has been medical software for the iPhone for a couple years now. You can save lives using that if you want.
@RattyUK
>> Maybe - but the point is that development of this kind of thing is easy on the iPhone.
You mean, it will be easy, once 3.0 is released and iPhone catches up to where WM2003 was, in '03. Only it won't be an open standard like USB-On-The-Go, and you'll have to ask Apple to approve your device. You'll also have to pay for the privilege, even if your app/device doesn't get approval.
Yeah, HTC's revenue is down.. they haven't had a large handset launch recently. I hear they're last major set of devices did quite well though: http://www.mobilecrunch.com/2008/12/09/g1-and-diamond-push-htc-to-record-profits-in-november/
Take this concept of hardware expansion coupled with the iPhone app expansion model forward 10 years and how far away will every mobile phone be away from a Star Trek-esque tri-corder?
Absolutely correct. The auto industry will be the first to start integrating the iPhone/Touch with BT and Dock leveraging the new SDK. Another blow to the MS "me too" initiative to further extend their tentacle in to the auto industry to try and monopolize that market.
"the iPhone app expansion model" - It's not even released yet, and it's their model. Plugging peripherals into your phone? Apple didn't invent that. They haven't even got a phone out that does that yet.
This is getting reported wrong. One of the guys has worked on the sensors, but the grant was only for making commercially available usb scanners (available for 2 grand) to work with WinMo. There was no hardware work whatsoever involved in this project. They connected commercially available usb scanners to a phone, and it took them 100,000 grand and a whole year to write what they admit is a limited program that requires hacking the cellphone's firmware. It's so useless they need another grant and the help of MIT to get anyone to test it in real world scenarios (which is still on the drawing board) despite the fact that it uses commercial, off-the-shelf sonogram scanners (that I've already seen plugged into Windows tablets, oddly enough). I can tell this story is intended as a press release for WinMo, but it's quite the opposite.
Wrong. The probes *were* modified. They are not the same probes. They have to run on 0.5W of power to be used on a cell phone and not send data faster than the full-speed (not high-speed) bus can handle.
As a doctor I don't care what platform the device is running on as long as:
1) It is stable
2) The unit has modular batteries that allow recharging in case of power failure.
3) The screen is legible & large. (i.e. both high resolution and large size matter)
4) There are various sizes of ultrasound probes available whether I want to insert a catheter into the heart, do an obstetric exam, or check for deep vein thrombosis.
The iPhone versus WinMo debate is rather ridiculous armchair quarterbacking from people who should stick to their choice of operating system and let us in the field use the best tool for the job.
As I stated just now, it doesnt really seem like anyone else here has field experience actually using ultrasounds. While this may be a wonderful achievement in terms of cost sometimes you really do get what you pay for.
Also an MD here. Thank you for a sensible comment. This really didn't need to degenerate into a Apple vs. MS war, and both camps are equally moronic for missing the big picture and making it one.
I'd agree with your first 3 concerns, but not so much #4. I get the sense that for stuff like putting in central lines, diagnosing DVTs, etc... No one will use a mobile phone probe over the real deal. One big reason: if anything goes wrong or a diagnosis is missed because of the crappy imaging, the physcian will get slammed with a law suit (and rightfully so).
Where I could see this being useful is the developing world (like the article says) where something is much better than nothing, or for small procedures like drawing blood or putting in IVs in patients that have really crappy veins. Low risk and saves on patients getting repeated sticks.
Also an MD here. Thank you for a sensible comment. This really didn't need to degenerate into a Apple vs. MS war, and both camps are equally moronic for missing the big picture and making it one.
I'd agree with your first 3 concerns, but not so much #4. I get the sense that for stuff like putting in central lines, diagnosing DVTs, etc... No one will use a mobile phone probe over the real deal. One big reason: if anything goes wrong or a diagnosis is missed because of the crappy imaging, the physcian will get slammed with a law suit (and rightfully so).
Where I could see this being useful is the developing world (like the article says) where something is much better than nothing, or for small procedures like drawing blood or putting in IVs in patients that have really crappy veins. Low risk and saves on patients getting repeated sticks.
I'm totally getting one of these when it becomes available.
MD here, from an actual developing country, just to clear things up a bit, we do have ultra sounds here, although not every where.
Our maternal and child morbidity and mortality is tremendously high, picture a field doctor in a rural area tending a pregnant lady, he could check the baby's condition and estimate if they can get to the hospital or he is to do an emergency c section, I call that awesome
As a non-doctor, I thank you for your rational and intelligent post.
But on Engadget? Hahahahaha
oops! sorry for the double post.
My company have just finished building something very similar to this, although we are still pending regulatory approval from the FDA and TGA(au) for medical use, although the veterinary version is available for sale.
http://www.signosticsmedical.com/ (medical)
http://www.speqview.com/ (vet)
Wash U's (in St. Louis) comp sci department in the news... sweet. Anyone interested should come check us out, we have a great department! http://www.cse.seas.wustl.edu/
Hey, don't you people realize what this is? The first step towards the tricorder!!!
I'm totally going to get knocked up just to have an excuse to buy one of these.
USB ultrasound on windows mobile...now that is innovation. With the new windows mobile 6.5 and the larger high resolution screens coming from toshiba and others, I think this little invention will definitely be able to help people in a lot of ways. I am always a huge fan when technology is used to help improve people's lives. It is great that microsoft invested in this project with the professors at washington university.
I think you guys ONE AND ALL missed the point of this whole article. Forgive my candidness, and I am not going to get into english grammar and spelling debate here... I have 2 Master's degrees. Simple (Anyone can get one if they make the effort) but unimportant beyond the fact that it gives me a bit of insight because of what they have allowed me to do... work in "3rd world" conditions.
Granted, I am a mental health therapist and a clinic manager with my own practice on the side. But I work int he rural communities of the Western USA. I have years of practice in rural areas (Texas, New Mexico, Utah, and now Montana... Wheee, I live in the badlands and boldly go where... um, anyway back to the galaxy that's not so far away).
I have seen what lack of medical equipment and medical professionals can do to people. And what a small change, like having this type of device, can do FOR people. And that's just within the US, especially the western US. Something like this is a miracle. No, it's not perfect but it's a damned sight better than ALOT of places have and it might just save a life. One life matters more than the petty arguments about M$ v. Apple (Which has always had a money focus since i was a kid in high school in the 80's... WHY do you think Apple LIKED having a closed architecture system!??!?! WHY do you think they like controlling your software!?!?? CASH BABY! But, we call Bill's efforts M$ instead of MS.. why? Because he broke away from the pack and is a geek who made damned good? He does more for poor folks, science, higher educational opportunities, medicine than Steve Jobs or Mr. Wosniack do with their oodles of cash... and no, don't remind me of Mr. Jobs medical state, I feel for him and his family, I am just making a point here).
This invention, regardless of platform and the errors in the written article that announced it to us so graciously (they could have used this space to talk about the Dream Cheeky Star Trek USB Communicator some more but chose to let us know about something MUCH more important instead) that you guys turned it into IdiotWars and a platform to attack the reporter, the editors, and the bloody PLATFORM for a device that, while it is not perfect (another set of stupid comments were made in this vein) COULD SAVE LIVES! We might be able to use it to keep an eye on tumour size and its growth, development, or even its shrinkage or watch the gestation of a fetus. This is not a perfect system but, maybe just maybe, if you would use your heads to do more than attack each other, you might be able to help its development into something that will work on ANY phone and be a better product. Half of you guys in here (ladies included in this whole set of my idiotic time wasting commentary) are probably tech savvy enough to make useful suggestions to the folks who are WORKING THEIR ASSES OFF CREATING THIS COOL EARLY REAL-LIFE VERSION OF A MEDICAL TRICORDER!! This basic concept can lead to bigger and better things... Imagine what this can do given TIME, USEFUL INPUT, AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT!
So try to use your time for something useful and, like your Mama's all said at some point in your development and her parenting/raising your silly asses, if you can't say something useful.... STFU!!!!!!!!!!!!