Vave Health Named 2021 Notable Commercial Equipment Award Winner

Vave is an innovative handheld ultrasound device, portable in nature with the ability to wirelessly connect with any smartphone or tablet. As a healthcare product, the portability of Vave allows clinicians and medical students the flexibility to provide enhanced care beyond a person’s physical location or environmental barriers. Designed in collaboration with San Francisco studio Box Clever, Vave is an easier, more flexible alternative to a traditional ultrasound purchase. With ultrasound devices being such an integral part of medical equipment, Vave reimagines its design and user experience entirely. Prioritizing human considerations, the shape and size of Vave was carefully crafted to create a product which can be balanced in your hand, while the proportions are small enough so you can hold it in multiple orientations.

Vave as a product empowers healthcare workers at all levels of expertise to make life-altering decisions at the point of care — while removing the technical barriers and capital outlays contributing to traditional high costs of healthcare. Vave has created a non-invasive visualization healthcare tool, which can be utilized by medical professionals, clinicians, and students across the globe, enhancing the accessibility of knowledge around health and the development of pregnancy.

We believe that the Vave Untethered Ultrasound experience is a breakthrough in modern healthcare. The end-user can scan locally, other healthcare professionals can watch live scans remotely, and scans can be recorded for future expert review and evaluation. Working in collaboration with the Vave health team and our engineering partners, Box Clever designed the device with an architectural layout that enables rechargeable batteries to support the portable use case in an elegant, intuitive way. Box Clever designed the battery as an independent element to the main body, allowing it to be swapped out and replaced in a matter of seconds. Retention features allow the battery to slide off the end of the product on a track system for a smooth interchange, without having to open any covers or press any buttons. Ultrasound is a high-intensity function, requiring frequent charging so the team created a battery charger that can live on a countertop or be mounted to a wall, further aiding the device’s accessibility. Designing a product that is waterproof enabled some positive opportunities for delivering an intuitive interaction experience, including the flexible, sealed button that we incorporated for wireless pairing with a mobile phone, tablet, laptop or desktop. Much like a smartphone — and the Tesla platform — Vave’s ultrasound-as-a-service model is revolutionary in that the device’s software is continuously upgradable. Through the design process, and the synthesis of functionality, aesthetics and materials, Vave has created an innovative ultrasound product that can provide care with no boundaries. Accessible and easy to use, Vave blends state-of-the-art technology with a sleek and robust design to create a product essential to healthcare professionals, clinicians, and medical students.

The portable nature of Vave has allowed for partnerships with educational institutions, including Touro University Nevada, the largest school of medicine in the state. The educational impact which Vave has already had since its release is tangible. The partnership provided students with wireless pocket-sized ultrasound devices, and assisted in introducing them to the necessary tools for point-of-care-ultrasound and enable them to receive hands-on training in diverse settings. The partnership provided Touro’s students with the world’s first ultrasound-driven medical curriculum focusing on augmenting the foundational sciences, enhancing test preparation, and developing clinical skills to lay the foundation for future clinicians.

Vave’s ultrasound platform-as-a-service model is revolutionary in that it provides a wireless probe, access to expert ultrasound imaging feedback, and ongoing software updates. This model imbues a closed sustainability loop into the product, by supporting its users. The portable nature of Vave was also considered during the design, as it lends itself effectively to medical education, learning, and teaching. Through partnering with educational institutions, Vave has enhanced student experiences and aided in teaching the next generations, the impact of which will be seen in the future.

About Vave:

Vave Health is committed to revolutionizing the physician-patient experience through innovative, industry-transforming technologies. Founded by a Stanford University Ph.D. with expertise in the miniaturization of imaging systems, Vave Health has developed a state-of-the-art, ultraportable solution that delivers cost-effective imaging at the point of care with a mission of making vital health technologies accessible to all. The company is headquartered in San Jose, California. Read more news & press releases, check out our blog, or contact us to learn more.

Recognizing excellence in all areas of design enterprise, the Core77 Design Awards annually celebrates the richness of the design profession as well as the insight and perseverance of its practitioners. Now in its eleventh year, the Awards program remains dedicated to excellence and inclusivity, offering both students and professionals the opportunity to promote their best work on a global scale across 18 distinct design disciplines.