MAUI, an ultrasound imaging company, announced its launch with a $4 million Department of Defense (U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command) contract to support trauma medicine using its autonomous ultrasound technology across four branches of the U.S. military.

The Arizona-based company's MAUI K3900, which received 510(k) clearance in October, is a remote ultrasound imaging system for healthcare providers' use in regard to pediatric, fetal, abdominal, peripheral vascular, adult cephalic, urology, small organ, neonatal cephalic, adult and pediatric cardiac, intraoperative, musculoskeletal, and urologic medicine.  

"With the U.S. military contract and our technology becoming more visible on a broader stage, we've decided it's time to come out of stealth and show what we have been working on," MAUI Imaging CEO and cofounder David Specht said in a statement. 

"The feedback we have received from physicians and technologists highlights the profound need for a new ultrasound-based technology that enables imaging of all types of tissues. That need is most pronounced in trauma medicine, which is a major focus of MAUI's collaborative development efforts. Going forward, MAUI will be able to supply the volumetric imaging data for AI tools that predominantly come from CT and MRI."

THE LARGER TREND

Other companies offering remote imaging technology include digital ultrasound company Butterfly Network, maker of a handheld, smartphone-connected ultrasound system. 

In January, Butterfly received FDA 510(k) clearance for Butterfly IQ3, the company's third-generation ultrasound system. 

Butterfly iQ3 is a point-of-care ultrasound system allowing for whole-body imaging using a single probe. A healthcare provider scans a patient, and Butterfly's software, available on iOS and Android, analyzes the images using AI and data processing. 

Two months later, the company secured EU MDR certification for its Butterfly IQ+ ultrasound system, allowing it to release its offerings into the European market. 

In April, Butterfly announced a partnership with AI ultrasound company ThinkSono to enable Butterfly users to take advantage of ThinkSono’s AI training application for deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

The same month, Clarius Mobile Health, which offers mobile ultrasound technology, announced it had partnered with ThinkSono for a new application called ThinkSono Guidance, an AI-enabled application that pairs with Clarius scanners to improve DVT detection.