News

Saudi Firm Launches World’s First Handheld Ultrasound Device

Abdul Latif Jameel Health has partnered with Butterfly Network to bring the world’s first handheld, single-probe, complete body ultrasound system to the MENA region.

Published

4 years ago

November 22, 2021

David Morelo

saudi firm launches world's first handheld ultrasonic device

Butterfly Network

In many parts of the world, access to well-equipped healthcare facilities is greatly limited. Healthcare professionals often have to travel long distances to see their patients, and they can’t bring with them most of the equipment they have access to in hospitals. Without it, making the right decisions in difficult medical situations can be extremely challenging.

The good news is that a new generation of medical devices is making advanced capabilities available in a variety of portable form-factors, much like modern smartphones can perform many of the tasks that could traditionally be performed only on large desktop computers.

Now, Abdul Latif Jameel Health has partnered with Butterfly Network to bring the world’s first handheld, single-probe, complete body ultrasound system to the Middle East, North Africa, Turkey, and India.

butterfly iq+ handheld ultrasound device

Called Butterfly iQ+, the compact ultrasound system consists of three pieces: a probe with a patented on-chip digital micro-beaming technology and optimized electronics with power-efficient FPGA, a compatible iOS or Android mobile device to which the probe connects to, and the Butterfly iQ+ mobile application.

“The capabilities of this innovative, portable and versatile handheld ultrasound solution know no bounds, and we are committed to delivering this technology to serve more than 2 billion people” said Dr. Akram Bouchenaki, Chief Executive Officer, Abdul Latif Jameel Health.

Also Read: Mobile App Helps Turkish Women Fight Domestic Violence

Because the ultrasound system provides sharp imaging with true-to-form color flow, 3D visualizations, cloud storage, and other advanced capabilities without taking up much space or requiring too much power, it was selected to provide medical imaging on the International Space Station. An earlier version of the device was delivered as part of the 22nd SpaceX Dragon cargo resupply payload in June 2021.

Hopefully, Butterfly iQ+ will soon be helping healthcare professionals address all kinds of health issues that people young and old experience not just in space but also in some of the poorest regions here on Earth.

News

OpenAI’s ChatGPT Health Is A Private Space For Health Data

A new health mode lets the popular AI platform tap medical records and fitness apps while walling off sensitive information.

Published

6 days ago

January 8, 2026

Nour Nasir

OpenAI

OpenAI has created ChatGPT Health, a separate space inside its chatbot platform for handling medical and wellness data. The opt-in feature starts with a small US cohort before widening out.

Health-related questions have long driven traffic to AI tools. OpenAI says over 230 million people ask ChatGPT about health or insurance each week. The new mode adds personal context to that behavior but stops short of diagnosis or treatment advice.

Users can connect records from participating US providers through b.well and link apps such as Apple Health, MyFitnessPal, Function and Weight Watchers. Some links are US-only, while Apple Health needs iOS. Once connected, ChatGPT can surface patterns in labs, summarize information ahead of a clinic visit or help map diet and exercise choices against past data.

The data sits apart from other chat information. Health has its own memories and does not spill into other conversations. Users can view or delete health memories at any time. OpenAI says this material is not used to train its models.

Security is much heavier in this section too. Health adds isolation and purpose-built encryption on top of the platform’s baseline protections. App connections require explicit permission, and disconnecting cuts the feed immediately.

“ChatGPT Health is another step toward turning ChatGPT into a personal super-assistant that can support you with information and tools to achieve your goals across any part of your life,” wrote Fidji Simo, OpenAI’s applications chief.

Also Read: Deliverect Rolls Out Self-Order Kiosks Across MENA

Physicians had input during development, though OpenAI has not detailed how that shaped the end product. The launch follows Health Bench, a dataset released in May to test models on realistic medical cases.

While currently rooted in the US healthcare ecosystem, the approach may draw interest in the Gulf and wider MENA markets as governments push digital health records and patient portals under modernization programs. Adoption will depend on whether users trust an AI assistant with such personal material and whether it fits clinical routines.

For OpenAI, the move marks a cautious step into regulated terrain and signals a shift toward sector-specific uses of generative AI.