Seattle startup’s remote-controlled ultrasound system provides specialized healthcare to areas lacking access

Dopl Technologies, a Seattle startup founded almost two years ago, has developed a telerobotic ultrasound system to provide specialist care to patients in rural areas. The company aims to eliminate the need for patients to travel long distances to urban areas for diagnosis and treatment. Dopl was recently named the winner of the 2024 Flywheel Investment Conference, receiving $150,000 in funding from the Flywheel Angel Network.

The telerobotic ultrasound system allows a remote sonographer to control a robotic arm located in a rural hospital from a different location. This technology will increase patient access to care, improve patient outcomes, and reduce costs for hospitals. Dopl’s co-founder and CEO, Ryan James, has a background in software engineering and biomedical informatics, while co-founder Steve Seslar is a cardiologist with clinical practice experience and teaches at the University of Washington.

Dopl’s customers are hospitals that install the telerobotic ultrasound system to provide exams to patients in their communities. The startup is currently focused on understanding customers and plans to transition from in-person exams to telerobotic exams once the system is FDA cleared. Dopl recently partnered with T-Mobile to utilize their 5G network for telerobotic exams, enabling healthcare to be delivered anywhere, including moving vehicles on land, at sea, and in space.

Competitors of Dopl include traditional ultrasound systems, AI assistants, and other telerobotic systems such as AdEchoTech. The company has raised over $800,000 to date from investors including Techstars, Seattle Angel Conference, Flywheel, and various angels. With a team of five employees, Dopl is working towards revolutionizing healthcare delivery in rural areas through their innovative technology.