MIT: Smart Ultrasound Patch

2022: Device Announcement

On August 11, 2022, it became known that engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have developed a smart ultrasound patch that allows you to visualize internal organs and structures for a long time. It is reported that the technology has already begun to be used in clinical practice.

The device contains a rigid array of piezoelectric sensors and uses a lower layer of an elastomer-coated hydrogel instead of a gel applied to the skin during conventional ultrasound procedures. The size of a postage stamp, the ultrasonic patch is very portable and cheaper than conventional ultrasound technology. The current version of the device requires a wired connection to view images, but researchers are working to make the device wireless and report that the technology could be suitable in the future for patients to take it home and apply it on their own.

Smart patch for continuous ultrasound of internal organs released

Ultrasound imaging requires a doctor or technician to apply the gel and press the sensor against the skin to get an image of the underlying organs. This is clearly impractical for long-term imaging and also requires expensive equipment and the need to visit a clinic or hospital. To solve this problem, the researchers created a small wearable patch that can view the inner surface of the body for 48 hours.

To achieve higher quality ultrasonic resolution, the scientists used rigid transistors paired with a sticky coating that easily attaches to the user's skin. This allows the transistors not to move relative to each other, while providing reliable contact with the skin. The hydrogel layer in the base of the patch passes sound waves through itself and is covered with a layer of elastomer that prevents the gel from drying out.

{{quote 'We plan to make several patches that will stick on different parts of the body, and at the same time these patches will contact your mobile phone, where the artificial intelligence algorithm will analyze images on demand, "said Xuanhe Zhao, one of the creators of the new device. We believe that in doing so we are ushering in the next era of wearable imaging: By sticking multiple patches on the body, the user will be able to see their internal organs^[1] }}

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