Cardiff-based ultrasound training systems developer MedaPhor has been awarded a conditional grant offer from Innovate UK to fund the development of a new augmented reality imaging device.

Insider Media reports the £464,000 grant is conditional on a financial review by Innovate UK and was awarded as part of the organisations Digital Health Technology Catalyst competition.

The grant will part-fund the development of MedaPhor’s NeedleGuide product, designed to improve interventional ultrasound-guided needling. The augmented reality headset projects the ultrasound view over the patient’s anatomy, highlighting the pathway the needle needs to follow to the target and then automatically tracks the needle tip to ensure that the operator is always aware of the needle’s position in relation to the key anatomical structures. The product is in the early stages of development and combines MedaPhor’s existing technology with expertise brought to the group through the acquisition of Intelligent Ultrasound.

Nicholas Sleep, chief technology of MedaPhor, said “We are delighted to have been awarded the Innovate UK grant, which will not only cover the majority of our development costs, but also provides strong external validation of our technology and market need. NeedleGuide has enormous potential to improve patient outcomes, reducing the time and cost of these difficult procedures. We believe that this technology could reduce the cost of needling to all hospitals and have significant export potential as a new and world-leading digital health technology.”