Name: SonoSite PX

Development: 2015 - 2020
(Contribution 2015 - 2018)

Role: Industrial Designer

Design Leadership: Craig Chamberlain, Patrick Nally

Team: Patrick Nally, Ben Dekock, Tyler Dawson, Matt Lider, Kenji Kimura

Patents: USD912252S1, USD898922S1

Starting in 2015, SonoSite started a multi-year research and design effort for the PX, a hybrid point-of-care ultrasound machine designed with a unique form factor, enabling users to seamlessly optimize the device for both diagnostic and procedural workflows.

What is point-of-care ultrasound?
Ultrasound provides a non-invasive window into the human body. Point-of-care (POC) ultrasound is where the device is brought to the patient’s bedside (the point of care), rather than the patient going to the device in its permanent location in the hospital or clinic. This reduces the amount of time it takes for a physician to get the answers needed to determine a patient’s course of treatment, and in emergency scenarios could be the difference between life and death. Point-of-care ultrasound serves three major medical subspecialties: emergency medicine, critical care, and anesthesiology.

The SonoSite PX in its entirety can be broken up into three main components: the clamshell ultrasound machine, standhead, and the stand. The PX boasts a large display that provides users with an exceptional clinical image. The controls of the device are divided between a touch enabled display, and a tactile persistent control panel. The touch display provides users with superior control over the various capabilities of the machine, and the tactile controls bring the most used functions into large physical buttons.

The clamshell ultrasound machine sits on top of a unique standhead that allows users to pivot the angle of the device via a robust articulating hinge. This allows users the flexibility to configure the PX depending on the specific use (diagnostic or procedural) and environmental factors. The standhead also includes a built-in triple transducer connector (TTC) that allows users to connect three transducers to the system and seamlessly switch between them via the user interface. The standhead also includes bespoke transducer storage that securely retains the probes regardless of the standhead angle.

The clamshell and standhead sit on top of a newly developed stand that allows users to raise and lower the entire system via a unique three sided foot pedal. Bespoke accessories were carefully designed around the column to provide users with locations to store their most used consumables such as gel and wipes, freeing up space in the general storage bin at the back of the machine. A unique cable retention system was designed to protect the cables from draping on the floor when the device is in its shortest stand configuration.

Main housings: Magnesium, painted chemical resistant gunmetal gray

Keypad: Compression molded silicone, painted black, laser ablated graphics.

Standhead: Magnesium, powder coated black.

Stand column: Extruded aluminum, anodized gray, bead blasted

Stand components: Die cast aluminum, powder coated black.

Storage containers: Injection molded Tritan, MT11010