BC researcher wins award for remote ultrasound

VANCOUVER – A University of British Columbia researcher is being recognized for his groundbreaking work to develop a mixed reality, immersive environment that makes it easier and more affordable for Canadians to receive ultrasound procedures without having to travel far distances to a medical centre.

The game-changing work has earned David Black (pictured) a Mitacs Innovation Award – Outstanding Innovation, presented by Mitacs, a Canadian innovation leader.

Supported by the Government of British Columbia, Mitacs connects businesses and researchers to drive competitiveness and productivity in sectors such as clean technology, life sciences, emergency management, advanced timber, and agritech. The award will be presented at a ceremony at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa on November 19.

Black – a University of British Columbia PhD student in the Department of Electrical and Computing Engineering under the supervision of Professor Tim Salcudean – is being recognized for his innovative work to build a compact tele-ultrasound system that allows a novice to perform an ultrasound on a patient while being guided by an expert sonographer or radiologist from a remote location.

The system consists of a mixed reality headset, point-of-care ultrasound probe – equipped with force and position sensors – and tablet or smartphone at the patient end, and a haptic device attached to a dummy ultrasound probe and connected to a computer display at the expert end.

As the remote expert maneuvers the virtual probe, guided by real-time video images transmitted over a high-speed connection, they are able to ‘feel’ the patient as if performing the procedure in person, thanks to the haptic interface.

At the point-of-care, the novice – or even the patient in some cases – aligns their probe with the movements of the virtual probe as they follow along using the mixed reality headset. Two-way verbal communication between the novice and expert is also supported.

“Other emerging teleoperation systems rely on robots to mirror the expert’s motion and, though the technology is impressive to look at, there’s a great deal of complexity and calibration that needs to happen to make it work. The robots are also very expensive,” Black explained.

“By replacing the robot with a human novice and relying on lower cost technology that can perform well over a 5G cellular network, our system is much more viable in the real-world.”

Black, who decided to focus on improving access to healthcare after personal experiences with remote medical emergencies, said Mitacs support is truly impactful.

“It allowed us to advance our technology rapidly to the point of testing and helped enable our partnership with industry leader Rogers Communications, who not only shares their communications infrastructure knowledge, but also helps forge valuable connections with other partners in the community and government,” he said.

The highly functional prototype system developed by Black, with the help of several Mitacs interns, was recently tested in the town of Skidegate, where ultrasounds were accurately performed at a distance of 750 kilometres away.

To date, testing has involved simplistic scans of the abdomen. Moving forward, Black is continuing to optimize the system to handle more complex scans, such as obstetrics, with the aim of launching a start-up company to commercialize the technology in the coming years.

The goal is to offer a lower cost solution that would make it possible to bring expert ultrasound knowledge to remote communities, people at home, or paramedics in the field. For example, Bella Bella, a community of 1,400 people in B.C., spends as much as $500,000 each year transporting patients to Vancouver by airplane in order to receive an ultrasound, said Black, a process that turns a one-hour appointment into a three-day excursion.

“That’s where we aim to come in and divert some of those appointments to a local community centre, medical centre or even to their home,” he said.

The Mitacs Innovation Award – Outstanding Innovation recognizes extraordinary talent from across Canada whose Mitacs-funded research has potential to achieve larger societal and economic impacts, driving innovation and broadening our understanding of the world around us. Mitacs programs are supported by funding from the Government of Canada and provincial and territorial governments across the country.

Black is one of eight Mitacs Innovation Award winners nationally, chosen from thousands of innovators who take part in Mitacs programs each year, and one of four winners in the Outstanding Innovation category. Additional 2024 categories, updated with a fresh look to better reflect Canada’s innovation landscape, include: Canadian Start-Up Innovator of the Year, Canadian Enterprise Innovator of the Year, Outstanding Research Leadership, and Inclusive Innovator of the Year.

In congratulating the winners, Mitacs’ CEO Dr. Stephen Lucas reflected on the organization’s long history and proven track record as a Canadian innovation leader. “Not only do these awards recognize achievements of exceptional innovators across B.C. and Canada, but they also highlight the infinite potential for impact when creative leaders work together,” Dr. Lucas said.

“As Mitacs celebrates 25 years as a leader in Canadian innovation, we reaffirm our belief that partnerships between research, enterprises, and talent – like the ones we honour with the Mitacs Innovation Awards – are key to a successful, prosperous Canada,” he said.

For more information about the Mitacs Innovation Awards and a full list of winners, visit www.mitacs.ca/newsroom.

About Mitacs
As Canada’s innovation organization, Mitacs connects businesses and researchers with unrivaled access to talent, financial support, and the partnerships needed to turn ideas into impactful innovations. Through unique collaborations, Mitacs is driving productivity and positioning Canada as a global innovation leader. Mitacs is funded by the Government of Canada, the Government of Alberta, the Government of British Columbia, Research Manitoba, the Government of New Brunswick, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Government of Nova Scotia, the Government of Ontario, Innovation PEI, the Government of Quebec, the Government of Saskatchewan, and the Government of Yukon.