IIT Madras Researchers Develop Portable Ultrasound Device to Enhance Sports Injury Detection

Researchers at IIT Madras have developed a portable Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) scanner designed for the diagnosis and management of sports injuries. Know details here

IIT Madras Researchers Develop Portable Ultrasound Device

IIT Madras researchers have developed a portable Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) scanner for diagnosing and managing sports injuries. The team has already secured several patents for the technologies incorporated into the device and is now focused on productization.

This innovation, developed at the Center of Excellence in Sports Science and Analytics (CESSA) at IIT Madras, holds the potential for on-field injury diagnosis. It allows immediate assessment of injury severity, enabling medical professionals to decide whether a sportsperson can safely continue playing.

POCUS Scanner by IIT Kanpur

This AI-powered POCUS scanner offers a broad range of applications in sports medicine, with the added advantages of being radiation-free and providing sufficient resolution compared to other imaging modalities. A working prototype for musculoskeletal (MSK) imaging, developed at the Biomedical Ultrasound Imaging Lab (BUSi), is already in place. The researchers aim to complete full product development by 2024, followed by field testing and pilot data collection in collaboration with sports authorities.

Prof. Arun K. Thittai, Department of Applied Mechanics and Biomedical Engineering, IIT Madras, who led the team that developed this device, said, “We observed a current technological gap and a need for a Point-of-Care device for injury Management and Rehabilitation of elite athletes within routine training premises. A quick assessment for musculoskeletal on the field will help sports players get immediate attention and focus on recovery.”

Prof. Arun K. Thittai, also a Faculty Member at CESSA, IIT Madras, said, “This solution aims to bring the latest development in ultrasound technology to sports medicine beyond the hospital setting. The inputs from the POCUS assessment will be taken into the bigger AI platform for a holistic athlete management system. We are currently exploring all options to take up POCUS for MSK imaging for commercial translation.”

IIT Madras established the CESSA to become a global platform for fostering innovation in sports technology and delivering products and solutions to enhance athlete performance and also serve general fitness and health consumers. It will also create and deliver products and solutions across media platforms and work with sporting federations and bodies to increase fan engagement.

Speaking about the thrust given to boost Sports Technologies at CESSA, IIT Madras, Mr. Ramesh Kumar said, Chief Executive Officer, CESSA, IIT Madras, said, “This device is one more innovative product with a complete effort focussed on indigenisation, which we believe will have a huge impact in the sporting field.”

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