Grant: Strategic Projects - Group

Currently, the view of ultrasound (US) scanners is outdated as a phone attached to a kitchen wall, i.e., large, bulky, and of limited use. In the next 5-10 years, US scanners will be portable, similar to smartphones, and US data will be used in numerous healthcare situations. The analogy to smartphones is apt with advances in miniaturization and smart apps based on machine learning with Big Data will transform US into an essential, portable tool, useful for numerous novel applications.* Our collaboration with Clarius Mobile Health, a BC-based leader in mobile US technology, will fast track transformation of US, thus, making this vision a reality to benefit US imaging technology growth. Our innovative solutions are designed to engineer novel large data analytics tools to manipulate heterogeneous, sparse data of variable resolution and quality. The solutions are specifically suitable for situations where access to accurate quantitative measures as gold-standard is limited and costly. Our immediate project results will impact the field of mobile US for cardiology diagnosis to improve image quality at point-of-care, automate anatomical recognition, and generation of initial, smart, diagnostic reports. In the longer term, we will build an ecosystem of smart analytics tools for numerous other applications of US, e.g., anesthesia and cancer imaging.*We have the synergy to make Canada the world leader in smart mobile US and to translate the benefits to improve the Canadian US economy, e.g., specialized HQP training, and job creation. Our record of success, complimentary skills, extensive collaborations, and leadership will achieve this vision.* HQP trained in this project will gain necessary skills to meet the pressing needs of Canadian industry and academia. US has grow quickly to become the most common medical imaging method since it is fast, safe, and inexpensive. Smart US will span new horizons for this technology and will pave new ways to numerous technological advances in medical diagnostic automation, miniaturization, and improved resolution.*