Clarius Mobile Health is the latest company to launch a portable, app-enabled ultrasound scanner that can connect to iOS and Android smartphones and tablets.

“Physicians have been asking for a portable ultrasound system that works with their iPhone for some time,” Laurent Pelissier, Chairman and CEO of Clarius Mobile Health, said in a statement. “The challenge has been to make an affordable device that is small enough to carry around and that also produces great images. I’m happy to say we’ve succeeded in creating a product that will enable more clinicians to use ultrasound anywhere to improve patient care. It’s as easy to use as a mobile phone camera.”

The Clarius ultrasound scanner features automated adjustments and an easy-to-grasp interface; it is also designed to be carried around for quick exams and to guide procedures such as nerve blocks and targeted injections.

Compared to regular compact ultrasound systems for use at the bedside in the hospital, Clarius’ solution is much more affordable. It is now pending regulatory clearance from the FDA, CE and Health Canada, and will soon be available for the fraction of the price of a single traditional compact system.

Competing portable ultrasound devices include Philips’ Lumify and FUJIFILM SonoSite’s iViz.