Technology never ceases to amaze us. We all know that Apple has expanded efforts to make the iPhone multi-functional but apparently now, an iPhone can even be used to conduct ultrasound exams thanks to a pair of engineers at Washington University in St. Louis. William D. Richard and David M. Zar have adapted an ultrasound probe that works on a half-watt of power from a cellphone.

That means that ultrasound exams could be conducted nearly anywhere while the image is piped to a doctor at a distant location. What makes this a big advance is not just the technology, but also its potential to greatly reduce the cost of ultrasound machines, making it practical to put them in pockets of E.M.T.’s, battlefield medics, school nurses and third-world obstetricians.

Professor Richard had previously designed a commercially available USB ultrasound probe that works with a laptop computer. He modified that design for the phone. “There is nothing magic about it; you just have to make some tweaks and they run on a smartphone,” said the professor. “It’s real; it isn’t a toy.”

The trick was finding a way to lower the energy demand of the probe. The new model requires half a watt, which the professor estimated translates to up to eight hours of continuous use. “Simple modification to a circuit board is all it takes,” Professor Richard said. “You could run eight probes on the energy required for one night light bulb.”

The professor estimates the current cost of a cellphone ultrasound probe at about $2,000, which would come down if it is produced in quantity. “I have a design for one that in a few years could sell at Walgreens for $199 and still make money,” he said.

(Source) NY Times

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