MIT professor Xuanhe Zhao says development could open a new era of wearable imaging
MIT professor Xuanhe Zhao says development could open a new era of wearable imaging
MIT researchers have developed tiny stickers that can capture images of the heart, lungs and other internal organs using ultrasound technology,
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“We believe we have opened a new era of wearable imaging: with just a few patches on your body, you can see your internal organs,” Xuanhe Zhao, a professor of mechanical engineering at MIT, said in a statement.
The stamp-shaped device sticks to the skin and can provide continuous ultrasound imaging of internal organs for up to 48 hours.
According to the release, the sticker measures about two square centimeters, and is three millimeters thick—about the area of a postage stamp.
Researchers placed stickers on volunteers that produced live, high-resolution images of major blood vessels and deeper organs such as the heart and lungs. The images captured changes in these underlying organs as volunteers performed a variety of activities, including sitting, standing, jogging, lifting weights and biking.
Currently, ultrasound imaging requires bulky and specialized equipment available only in hospitals and doctors’ offices. According to the researchers, this new device could make the technology as wearable and accessible as buying Band-Aids at the pharmacy.
The team is working to make the stickers work wirelessly. They are also developing software algorithms based on artificial intelligence that can better interpret and diagnose sticker images.
“We envision that certain patches adhere to different locations on the body, and the patches will communicate with your cellphone, where AI algorithms will analyze the images on demand,” Mr. Zhao said.
Ultrasound stickers can be used not only to monitor various internal organs, but also to monitor tumor progression and fetal development in the womb, Mr. Zhao said.