Signostics

About Signostics

Signostics, an Australian medical device company, was established in Adelaide in 2005 by Stewart Bartlett and Neil Bartlett. The firm specialized in the development of miniaturized, point-of-care ultrasound technology. Its initial product launch targeted the veterinarian market in 2009, and after securing regulatory approvals, it expanded into the human medical device market in Australia, Europe, and the United States. A significant milestone was achieved in 2015 when the global investment firm KKR invested $35 million, prompting Signostics to re-domicile as a Delaware-based corporation and establish its headquarters in Kirkland, Washington. This was followed by another $35 million investment from KKR in 2017 to its parent company, EchoNous, to fuel market expansion and further innovation. The company was eventually rebranded as EchoNous, meaning "Intelligent Sound," to reflect its expanded focus on AI-driven solutions.

The company's business is centered on designing, manufacturing, and selling portable ultrasound devices to healthcare professionals and institutions. Its market includes various hospital departments such as urology, emergency rooms, maternity, and oncology. Signostics operated on a direct sales and distribution partnership model, including a key partnership with Konica Minolta for certain products. Revenue was generated through the sale of these medical devices.

Signostics developed a range of handheld ultrasound devices. Its flagship product line included the Signos, Signos RT, and later, the Uscan. The original Signos was a compact, lightweight device, weighing under 300 grams, designed for portability, much like a stethoscope. A key limitation was its lack of real-time imaging. This was addressed with the second-generation device, the Signos RT, which provided real-time imaging capabilities. The Uscan device represented a significant technological advancement, incorporating smart mobile connectivity and computer vision algorithms. This allowed the device to actively recognize the 3D contours of the bladder, providing more accurate volume measurements compared to conventional scanners. Uscan could scan up to 256 bladder slices and was also suitable for imaging kidneys, the prostate, and for guiding catheter placement. The devices were designed for ease of use, featuring touch screens and interchangeable transducer heads for different types of scans.