MU and STMicroelectronics Improve Medical Care in Remote Rural Areas of Africa with Miniature Ultrasound Diagnostic Device
(Thomson Reuters ONE) -
ST's ultrasonic-pulser IC contributes to high portability and cost efficiency of
MU's device with no compromise in performance
Tokyo, Japan, and Geneva, Switzerland, April 14, 2016 - MU, a medical-device
manufacturer, and STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM), a global semiconductor leader
serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications, today
announced that MU's US-304 portable ultrasound imager, powered by ST's STHV800
pulser, is aiming to increase the quality of point-of-care medical diagnostics
in remote rural areas of Africa.
MU's device has been developed for the "Doctor Car" mobile-clinic project to
provide medical care in remote rural areas of Africa. In this project, medical
workers use a special vehicle equipped with remote-healthcare systems to
diagnose residents in remote rural areas where medical facilities are
unavailable. The data obtained by the portable ultrasound device is transferred
via mobile networks to healthcare entities in urban areas for detailed diagnosis
and proper treatment. MU will start shipping ultrasound imagers to Doctor Cars
and clinics in Africa this year.
The MU US-304 is a convex-type ultrasonic imager (3.5MHz) capable of performing
abdominal diagnosis up to 15cm under the skin. It can be carried anywhere and
simply connected via USB to a laptop or tablet. The MU device integrates ST's
high-voltage, high-speed ultrasonic-pulser IC (integrated circuit) with an 8-
channel transducer driver circuit[1] manufactured in ST's proprietary 200V SOI-
BCD[2] semiconductor process. This process enables the integration of high-
voltage CMOS technology, precise analog circuitry, and robust power stages on
the same chip.
The industry's most highly integrated ultrasonic pulser, ST's STHV800 also
offers low noise and tiny size to help produce accurate diagnostic images at a
much lower cost and power consumption compared with stationary ultrasound
equipment.
"The challenge in developing point-of-care ultrasound diagnostic devices is to
achieve high portability and low cost without sacrificing performance. ST
technology has proven an ideal solution to this problem," said Yasuhiro Tamura,
President, MU. "As we continue to create products for medical care in developing
regions, in cooperation with ST, we hope to expand our application scope to new
areas including livestock care."
"MU's newest portable ultrasound device is on course to improve the quality of
medical diagnostics in remote rural areas, where the need is great," said
Hiroshi Noguchi, Director, Analog, MEMS and Sensors Group, STMicroelectronics
Japan. "The selection of ST technology confirms our commitment to providing
ultrasound-equipment makers with the highest performing ICs in the market and
positions ST as the go-to partner for creating innovative applications that make
positive contributions to people's health and quality of life."
ST offers a cost-effective evaluation board (STEVAL-IME013V1) that integrates
the STHV800 pulser IC with an STM32F4 ARM® Cortex®-M microcontroller. The
board's graphical user interface and preset waveforms make it simple for
designers to test the pulser under different conditions.
About MU
Since its foundation, MU, as an OEM developer, has been developing medical
devices such as biological sensors (ECG) and its peripheral systems, ultrasound
imagers and sleep sensors, aiming to contribute the growth of remote medical
care. These products are now in the market as OEM products. Further information
can be found at http://llcmu.jp
About STMicroelectronics
ST is a global semiconductor leader delivering intelligent and energy-efficient
products and solutions that power the electronics at the heart of everyday life.
ST's products are found everywhere today, and together with our customers, we
are enabling smarter driving and smarter factories, cities and homes, along with
the next generation of mobile and Internet of Things devices. By getting more
from technology to get more from life, ST stands for life.augmented.
In 2015, the Company's net revenues were $6.90 billion, serving more than
100,000 customers worldwide. Further information can be found at www.st.com.
For further information please contact:
MU
Yasuhiro Tamura
President
T +81 (0)3 5829 6421
F +81 (0)3 5829 6428
Info(at)llcmu.jp
STMicroelectronics
Michael Markowitz
Director Technical Media Relations
T +1 781 591 0354
michael.markowitz(at)st.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[1] The sink / source current of each channel allows a ±2.0A, maximum ±90V
transducer drive, making the STHV800 an ideal device for various types of
ultrasound diagnostic equipment.
[2] Silicon on Insulator - Bipolar-CMOS-DMOS
ST Chip Enables MU Portable Ultrasound Imager:
http://hugin.info/152740/R/2003614/739579.pdf
ST Chip Enables MU Portable Ultrasound Imager_IMAGE:
http://hugin.info/152740/R/2003614/739580.JPG
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Source: STMicroelectronics via GlobeNewswire
[HUG#2003614]
Unternehmensinformation / Kurzprofil:
Datum: 14.04.2016 - 15:00 Uhr
Sprache: Deutsch
News-ID 464078
Anzahl Zeichen: 6241
contact information:
Town:
Geneva
Kategorie:
Business News
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