REACH

Intelligent Ultrasound Group plc

("IUG" or the "Company")

Launch of NeedleTrainer 2

Intelligent Ultrasound Group plc (AIM: IUG), the 'classroom to clinic' ultrasound company, specialising in artificial intelligence (AI) software and simulation, announces it has launched an updated version of its 'first in kind' technology NeedleTrainer™, making ultrasound-guided needle training even more accessible to medical professionals, through a high performance, pocket-sized wireless ultrasound machine - GE Healthcare's Vscan™ Air.

NeedleTrainer is a real-time simulation tool, which has been designed to develop the needle-probe co-ordination skills required for safe ultrasound guided interventional procedures.

The first of its kind, NeedleTrainer uses a retractable needle, with the ability to add virtual image overlays to simulate needling non-invasively on a live participant, using a live ultrasound scan. This enables trainees to develop hand-eye coordination, optimum positioning, and accuracy in ultrasound-guided interventional procedures in a simulated clinical environment without delaying patient care or risking patient safety.

Ten months since the original version launched in the marketplace, and the platform is already being embraced by regional anesthesia medical education schools including Health Education and Improvement Wales and University College London Hospital to expand training opportunities and drive curriculum changes.

In line with IUG's vision to 'unlock ultrasound for everyone', the latest version of NeedleTrainer makes ultrasound-guided needling even more accessible to medical professionals. Previously only available to users with an existing compatible ultrasound system, IUG has now expanded this offering. The latest generation of NeedleTrainer incorporates a GE Vscan Air; a wireless, handheld ultrasound probe that makes the system portable, removes the need to re-purpose a console-based ultrasound machine for training, while making the platform available to more institutions.

NeedleTrainer is available in two offerings: as a needle training simulator, applicable to any speciality that performs ultrasound guided needling. For regional anaesthesia there is also NeedleTrainer Plus, which includes the needle training simulator, with a built in trainer for peripheral nerve blocks (PNB) that include AI powered overlay of body structures option for the ten most common blocks when training on regional anaesthesia.

Once a practitioner is competent, they can then use the standalone ScanNav Anatomy PNB device in the clinic for real-time AI assistance of ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia.

Dr Dennis Cochlin, MB BCh FRCR, Consultant in General Ultrasound at the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff commented: "This is a great example of how invasive procedures can be taught in a safe environment. This is particularly important for the increasing number of practitioners who use ultrasound to guide procedures, but where ultrasound is not their main specialty. However, anyone who practices ultrasound guided needling, however experienced, will welcome this."

Nicholas Sleep, Chief Technology Officer of Intelligent Ultrasound commented: "Still a 'first in kind' platform, NeedleTrainer 2 is the latest development in IUG's vision to make ultrasound simpler to use and easier to learn. We're pleased to extend our partnership with GE Healthcare by incorporating the Vscan Air into our system, which makes this technology portable and available to any medical education programme which teaches ultrasound-guided needling.  Centres will be able to adapt to new curriculum requirements, without impacting clinical hours or patient safety."

GE Healthcare has a century long track record of delivering high impact healthcare innovations, with more than 30 years in ultrasound.  GE was the first to introduce a pocket-sized color ultrasound to the market; the over 30,000 Vscan units in the pockets of clinicians in 100 countries impacts the care of 50 million patients worldwide.

To learn more about NeedleTrainer, readers can visit the IUG website.

About Intelligent Ultrasound Group

Intelligent Ultrasound (AIM: IUG) is one of the world's leading 'classroom to clinic' ultrasound companies, specialising in real-time hi-fidelity virtual reality simulation for the ultrasound training market ('classroom') and artificial intelligence-based clinical image analysis software tools for the diagnostic medical ultrasound market ('clinic'). Based in Cardiff in the UK and Atlanta in the US, the Group has two revenue streams:

Simulation

Real-time hi-fidelity ultrasound education and training through simulation.  Our main products are the ScanTrainer obstetrics and gynaecology training simulator, the HeartWorks echocardiography training simulator, the BodyWorks Eve Point of Care and Emergency Medicine training simulator with Covid-19 module and the new BabyWorks Neonate and Paediatric training simulator. To date over 1,400 simulators have been sold to c. 700 medical institutions around the world.

Clinical AI software

Deep learning-based algorithms to make ultrasound machines smarter and more accessible using our proprietary ScanNav ultrasound image analysis technology. Current products on the market utilising this technology are GE Healthcare's SonoLyst software that is incorporated in their Voluson Expert 22 and SWIFT ultrasound machines; ScanNav Anatomy PNB that simplifies ultrasound-guided needling by providing the user with real-time AI-based anatomy highlighting for a range of medical procedures; and NeedleTrainer that teaches real-time ultrasound-guided needling and incorporates ScanNav Anatomy PNB. 

www.intelligentultrasound.com

NOTE: ScanNav Anatomy PNB is CE approved, but not yet available for sale in the US or any other territory requiring government approval for this type of product.

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