‘Why are Ultrasound Machines So Expensive?’ and the Future of Ultrasound
Dr. Graham Jenson from New Zealand asks, “Why are Ultrasound Machines So Expensive?” and breaks down some of the reasons why, with links to homemade transducers and thoughts on the future of ultrasound.
Name a technology that is more useful, more educational, more interesting, and more overpriced than a ultrasound machine. You can look inside of living things without the need for a powerful magnets or radioactivity and it is basically made from a speaker and microphone outputting to a screen.
Creating any device for medical purposes can be incredibly expensive, but this ignores all the other uses that ultrasounds can have in education, imaging, sports training and just for fun. The catch 22 is that ultrasounds will never be used for these activities if they are difficult to use and expensive, and they will never become cheaper unless the ultrasound market becomes larger than just health.
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