Case Study: USB Ultrasound Technology And Trimble Nomad Rugged Computer Create Mobile Medical Imaging Solution

Computer engineers at Washington University in St. Louis are bringing the minimalist approach to medical care and computing. They have adapted ultrasound probe technology into a portable USB device and coupled it with the Trimble® Nomad™ rugged handheld computer. The result is a compact, mobile computational platform with a medical imaging device that fits in the palm of an adult hand.

William D. Richard, Ph.D., WUSTL associate professor of computer science and engineering, and David Zar, research associate in computer science and engineering, have designed and manufactured commercial USB ultrasound probes compatible with Microsoft Windows mobile devices like the Trimble Nomad rugged handheld computer. The research team needed to optimize every aspect of probe design and operation, from power consumption and data transfer rate to image formation algorithms. As a result, it is now possible to build USB ultrasound probes for imaging anything from 1 to 20 centimeters. Probes can be used for OB uterine screenings, examination of organs like kidney, liver, bladder, eyes and prostate, and for imaging veins and arteries for starting IVs and central lines.