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John R. Fischer, Senior Reporter | December 26, 2023
NeedleViz feature of Butterfly IQ+ (Photo courtesy of Butterfly Network)
Portable ultrasound software developer Butterfly Network has agreed to help Silicon Valley medical robotics company Mendaera commercialize a new solution that will be powered by its Ultrasound-on-Chip technology.
Known as Butterfly iQ+, the proprietary ultrasound-on-chip program allows users to perform whole-body imaging with semiconductor technology and only one transducer. It leverages AI to generate quality images and connects to a mobile phone or tablet.
Mendaera is developing a platform that combines real-time imaging, robotics, and AI to enable precise and consistent needle-based interventions and make minimally invasive care more accessible. It expects to apply for FDA clearance in 2025.
The robotic technology is compatible with Butterfly IQ+ and connected via Butterfly’s software development kit, Butterfly Garden, an initiative launched in August to create collaborations among medical device companies, AI companies, or software developers seeking to build new applications with Butterfly Network’s imaging technology.
“Mendaera’s robotic system is perfectly suited to leverage Butterfly’s proprietary Ultrasound-on-Chip by benefiting from the wide array of ultrasonic sensing applications that only our chip can offer,” said Darius Shahida, chief strategy officer of Butterfly Network, in a statement.
Back in August, Mendaera announced the completion of the research and design process for its robotic system, and that it has raised $24 million in Series A Funding that will go toward further development and commercialization of the solution. It says that with Butterfly Network products, its solution will create a new category of robotics for high-quality interventional treatments while addressing workforce shortages and burnout that hinder workflow and care.
Butterfly Network recently agreed to incorporate its technology into another solution, a minimally invasive ultrasound, designed by deep tech research company Forest Neurotech, that
will be the first implanted, whole-brain neural interface. It will use ultrasound transducers and miniaturized electronics integrated within the chip to measure brain-wide function, to provide personalized insights and continuously update therapeutics for neurological and psychiatric disorders.
