ULTRACOV project get funded: Novel ultrasound scanner to face COVID-19 disease challenges

The project ULTRACOV aimed at developing a novel ultrasound scanner to face COVID-19 disease challenges: early diagnosis and following of patients evolution leaded by DASEL get funded by last CDTI call.

This project obtained funding from the las call of the Spanish Institution “CDTI” (July 2020) in a very competitive call for R&D projects to face the health emergency COVID19. ULTRACOV  This development is led by DASEL SL, a Madrid SME based in Arganda del Rey. The Ultrasonic Systems and Technologies Group of the CSIC (GSTU-CSIC) and the Nuclear Physics Group Group of the Complutense University of Madrid (GFN-UCM) will also participate. The participation of the emergency ultrasound service of the Hospital Universitario La Paz guarantees the clinical approach at all stages of the development of the ultrasound system, and will carry out the first trials with patients.

The project duration is 18 months, (starting July 2020) and clinical trials of the prototype are planned to begin in early 2021.

The objective of the ULTRACOV project is the development of an ultrasound scanner oriented to the early detection and monitoring of the COVID-19 disease, specially designed for situations of pandemic and high healthcare pressure. Through interactive artificial intelligence tools that simplify the examination and interpretation of images, and a design oriented to operation in high-risk conditions (easy disinfection, ergonomics, etc.), the aim is to extend lung ultrasound to a greater number of professionals and services, from primary care to intensive care. The impact on the capacity of the healthcare system for the management of COVID-19 patients would be very positive, since it is a very specific tool for evaluating the lung condition at all stages of the disease, including potential chronic problems. in the medium and long term. Furthermore, it would be useful for the diagnosis and management of patients with other lung pathologies, potentially serious in certain groups (pediatric patients, pregnant patients, etc.).