Draper

Draper is a non-profit health research company

2018: Receipt of funds from the Bill Gates Foundation

On March 22, 2018, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation announced 78 research grants in the amount of $100 thousand. The funds will go to researchers from 18 countries around the world, including Draper, which has received funding to develop ultrasound imaging systems aimed at early detection of high-risk pregnancies in developing countries.

According to the World Health Organization, high-risk pregnancy is one of the leading causes of maternal mortality in developing countries, accounting for 99% of the more than 300,000 deaths reported in 2015, according to a Draper spokesperson.

Bill Gates invested in ultrasound to identify complex pregnancies

Ultrasound imaging, the main diagnostic tool for perinatal care, is rarely available in developing countries, where maternal and neonatal mortality rates are much higher than in other countries. The development of a portable, durable and inexpensive ultrasound system will allow for greater use of this simple and efficient diagnostic method.

Thanks to a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the company will be able to explore possible options for an ultrasound system that can be used in countries with insufficient equipment and even in the absence of trained operators. One of the ideas is to create an ultrasonic "blanket" that can be wrapped around the abdomen of a pregnant woman - such technology is not tied to the specific orientation of the sensor and does not require the presence of an operator.

The "blanket" will be directly related to the display, which will display the results of the study in the form of a 3D model, and they will be available remotely in real time, which is especially important with a shortage of trained medical personnel, especially doctors.^[1]

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