UC San Diego Develops Wearable UPatch

Engineers at the University of California, San Diego have developed a soft, wearable ultrasound patch, named UPatch, capable of continuously monitoring a fetus for hours. This technology, published in Sana Biotechnology, can track fetal anatomy and blood flow in real-time, even with constant movement, and has shown promise in detecting complications earlier in high-risk pregnancies. The UPatch utilizes autonomous tracking algorithms to maintain consistent measurements without requiring a sonographer. Clinical studies at Jacobs Medical Center at UC San Diego Health and the John Radcliffe Hospital at the University of Oxford demonstrated its effectiveness across 62 pregnancies, including those with complications like preeclampsia and gestational diabetes. The team, led by researchers including Geonho Park, Yizhou Bian, Hao Huang, and Sai Zhou, plans to integrate the patch into a compact wireless electronic system. Sheng Xue, a key figure in this research, has also co-founded Softsonics LLC, indicating potential commercialization. While the technology is promising, experts like Abdullah Azam Khan emphasize the need for further validation and clear clinical guidelines before widespread adoption.