DKPOC: A compact OEM Ultrasound Hardware Platform for Research and Product Development

The field of ultrasound technology is evolving rapidly, driven by the increasing need for compactness, imaging performance, and customization. The DKPOC platform, developed by Vermon, offers an innovative approach to ultrasound system design, and is specifically tailored for research labs, medical device manufacturers or startups seeking to develop ultrasound-integrated medical devices. By combining a handheld ultrasound probe with an open software environment, the use of DKPOC reduces time to market  by accelerating feasibility studies, proof-of-concept validations and product prototyping.

Addressing the Growing Need for Portable Ultrasound Systems

The demand for Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) has expanded significantly in recent years, leading to the widespread use of handheld ultrasound systems. However, many solutions were designed primarily for general clinical purposes, unable to cover some specific needs. Indeed, specific applications will always be better addressed by tailored solutions. The DKPOC addresses this gap by offering a modular, customizable hardware and software system supporting a wide range of ultrasound applications, from robot-assisted image guided procedures to innovative ultrasound applications or biomarker assessment, all with seamless integration into innovative medical devices.

Through the miniaturization of ultrasound chip technology, the DKPOC platform combines portability, energy efficiency, and seamless integration into existing systems, allowing engineers and researchers to develop solutions to specific clinical and research needs.

DKPOC Hardware and Software Technical Capabilities

Compact and High-Performance Hardware Architecture

At the core of the DKPOC system is a compact lightweight USB handheld probe . The embedded electronics is equipped with 128 transmit channels and 64 receive channels,  for data acquisition. It includes an FPGA-based beamforming processing module, which enables real-time signal processing directly on the probe ensuring high contrast resolution, high field of view and high resolution imaging.

The DKPOC probe is available with three transducer configurations:

• 12-5 MHz linear array (128 elements),
• 6-2 MHz convex array (128 elements),
• 4.5-1.5 MHz phased array (64 elements).

These configurations support a wide range of applications, from pre-clinical studies to prototype testing. The hardware architecture is built to be flexible, allowing users to connect other 1D arrays from Vermon catalog with center frequencies from 1 to 13MHz with up to 128 elements.

Advanced Pulsarus Software: A Powerful Imaging Environment

The DKPOC hardware platform is paired with Pulsarus™, an advanced software environment that provides users with ultrasound sequence programming, hardware monitoring, signal and image post-processing and real-time visualization. The software supports a wide range of ultrasound modes, including B-mode and M-mode with broad control over transmit and receive parameters.

Pulsarus is designed to be user-friendly, featuring an intuitive user interface that simplifies ultrasound system management without requiring advanced programming. For users requiring deeper system customization, Pulsarus also provides a Software Development Kit (SDK), enabling full access to hardware controls, sequencing, and data export.

The platform supports synchronization with external devices, such as ECG or EMG  allowing for complex multimodal applications. Additionally, RF data livestream and real-time display on power consumption and frame rate help optimize system performance, especially in handheld and portable scenarios where energy efficiency is critical.

Performance in Imaging and Data Export

The imaging capabilities of the DKPOC platform supports harmonic imaging, spatial compounding, across different transducer configurations, offering users flexibility in optimizing the imaging mode for their study.

In addition to high-resolution imaging, DKPOC provides extensive data export options, allowing users to capture radiofrequency (RF) data,  B-mode images and cineloop sequences. 

Applications in Medical and Research Fields

The DKPOC platform has demonstrated its value in diverse use cases, particularly in research and product prototyping. Its compact form factor, combined with its powerful hardware and flexible software, makes it a go-to solution for:

• Feasibility Studies: Ideal for early-stage research where quick validation of ultrasound-based systems is necessary.
• Product Prototyping: Enables medical device companies and startups to rapidly iterate on ultrasound technologies before scaling.
• Innovative Medical Applications: DKPOC flexibility can lead developments in areas such as surgery guidance, integration in robotic systems, high-intensity focused ultrasound monitoring and AI solutions.

In summary, the DKPOC platform offers unmatched flexibility, performance, and customization for both research and product development. Whether you’re a startup, a research lab, or a medical device manufacturer, DKPOC accelerates your innovation process, helping you bring cutting-edge ultrasound solutions to market faster.

Click Here to explore the DKPOC platform and see how it can power your next project!