This is the future, folks. Your computer (even a PDA or a cellphone) is destined to become an ultrasound system on the go, with plug and play ultrasound probes, and specialized software. The laptop one day might even be faster than your current system on four wheels.
From Direct Medical Systems, LLC, a San Ramon, California company:
The Ppups is the first ultrasound system built entirely into the scanning probe. You simply insert the software that is supplied on a CD into a laptop or desktop computer. Then plug the ultrasound probe into a USB 2.0 port and your computer becomes a full featured B-MODE ultrasound system.
The raw data that is captured during the scanning of a patient is then passed through a special circuit called post-processing. While the user is scanning the patient and adjusting the imaging controls to create a good image (changing contrast, brightness and gain) the raw data is being acquired and saved by the scan converter. The image is then enhanced to the user’s diagnostic requirement and then displayed on the image monitor as the final image.
The company reports that its probes come in four different flavors: 3.5 MHz, 5.0 MHz, 7.5 MHz and 12MHz. According to the company, this device has not yet been approved by the FDA.
More at Direct Medical Systems…
Flashback: The Ubiquitous Echo (the other first ultrasound system built entirely into the scanning probe)
(hat tip: MTB Europe)