Royal Philips today launched its innovative compact VISIQ ultrasound system transducer-plus-tablet display in India at the Philips Innovation Summit in Bangalore.  VISIQ which combines various features such as high performance and simplicity into a compact single miniaturised solution, delivers excellent image quality, making ultrasound available anytime, anywhere for expectant mothers

It allows clinicians to increase access to quality diagnostic scans for obstetrics and gynaecology patients, especially in labor rooms and remote areas. This compact ultrasound device can be easily taken wherever care is needed and wakes from sleep mode to scan-ready in seconds, and can scan continuously for 2.5 hours on a single battery charge.

VISIQ delivers the same image quality of premium ultrasound system, allowing expectant parents to clearly see their unborn child’s fingers and toes on the tablet’s screen.  Its touchscreen gesture controls are familiar to anyone who has used a smartphone or tablet, and allow users to capture images, take measurements and share data easily. In addition, VISIQ offers many of the same automatic image optimisation features found on Philips’ premium EPIQ systems, as well as built-in Wi-Fi for DICOM data transfer to hospital or cloud-based PACS.

“VISIQ marks a new vision for Philips, allowing clinicians to take ultrasound where it has never been possible before. From small clinics to community medicine programs, healthcare workers now have access to ultrasound in the field to provide pre-natal scans to expectant mothers in remote areas who would not otherwise have access to this type of innovative technology, helping reduce maternal mortality,” informed A Krishna Kumar, vice chairman and managing director, Philips India.

At the heart of the VISIQ system is a smart transducer that fits comfortably into the user’s hand. It comes with single probe solution, high quality 2D B&W pulse doppler and color doppler. Drawing on over 30 years’ experience in ultrasound, Philips has taken advantage of advances in miniaturisation to integrate a sophisticated broadband digital beam former and powerful image acquisition module into the transducer. In addition to its utility in labor and delivery room it has potential application in other areas like point-of-care and critical situations like calamities and accidents. It lays the foundation for a future range of portable ultrasound products to meet the evolving needs of clinicians and patients.