Cardiovascular researchers face a significant challenges when analyzing arterial ultrasound data. The traditional manual process of measuring arterial parameters frame by frame is not only incredibly time-consuming but also introduces the risk of human error and inconsistency. This limits the pace of discovery and translation in this critical field, where insights can directly impact patient outcomes.
MAUI (Measurements from Arterial Ultrasound Imaging) overcomes these challenges by automating the analysis of ultrasound videos. Utilizing state-of-the-art computer vision algorithms, MAUI accurately detects and tracks arterial walls, enabling researchers to:
Using MAUI, researchers can analyze more data in less time, accelerating the pace of discovery and enabling the investigation of novel research. Additionally, MAUI standardizes analysis across different labs and institutions, enhancing collaboration and leading to new insights into vascular physiology and disease mechanisms. This collaborative effort paves the way for developing innovative diagnostic and therapeutic strategies that ultimately improve patient care.
MAUI was born out of my passion for leveraging technology to solve real-world problems. During my MASc research at the University of Waterloo, I learned of the painstaking process of manually analyzing arterial ultrasound data. With my background in engineering and computer vision, I created the first working version of MAUI for researchers on campus.
But I didn't stop there. I had a vision of making this powerful tool accessible to researchers everywhere.
To achieve this I founded Hedgehog Medical and recruited Ahmed Gawish (Computer Vision Engineer) and James Stone (Software Engineer) to further refine MAUI and expand its capabilities. This allowed me to shift my focus from writing code to developing the business model around the technology. This involved:
Turning MAUI from an idea into research and then into a commercially successful software product allowed me to explore and develop my skills in leading engineering teams as well as building a business. I'm proud to have navigated this journey, and together with a team, created a tool that is now making a real difference in cardiovascular research worldwide.
Since its launch in 2015, MAUI has become the go-to tool for arterial analysis in top cardiovascular physiology labs worldwide:
"MAUI diameter tracking is outstanding! I take many ultrasound videos for my research and once I began using the software I saved a lot of hours tracking diameters. It is simple to use, does an excellent job at tracking the artery walls and has a great pausing feature that is beneficial for long videos. The team has been very committed to helping me get the most out of diameter tracking and I wouldn’t even consider using other software."
- Michelle Favre, Rutgers University
Researchers consistently praise MAUI's ability to streamline their work and provide reliable data:
"If I didn’t used MAUI, it would probably take me several months to process my data. Before I was introduced to MAUI, I used manually acquired arterial diameter software and it took me hours to properly obtain measurements. When I started using MAUI, I was able to process 10x more ultrasound videos in a day as well as getting continuous arterial diameter measurements. Also, one main feature that I like about MAUI is that I can use it remotely. I was able to work at home and even on the bus. Overall, MAUI is a great tool for flow mediated diameter (FMD) studies and other arterial wall tracking studies."
- Chris Delayun, University of Waterloo
MAUI has powered over 20 high-impact studies in prestigious journals such as Nature Scientific Reports, Journal of Applied Physiology, and Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology: