The Clarius team is pleased to welcome back Nishant Uniyal as Director of Data Science in charge of rapidly advancing the company’s artificial intelligence (AI) program for handheld ultrasound.
Nishant was one of the first scientists to join the company in 2015 and originally worked on the AI innovation that makes Clarius ultrasound scanners so fast and easy to use on mobile devices, without traditional complex knobs and buttons.
There is no one better qualified to lead our advanced AI initiatives. We are very excited that Nishant has rejoined our team after several years of honing his expertise at Boeing as a data scientist and at BrainStation as a data science and machine learning instructor,” says Clarius CEO Laurent Pelissier. “We have come a long way in our mission to make Clarius ultrasound more affordable and easier to use. Our next challenge is to extend the applications of AI to redefine guidance and diagnosis for novice ultrasound users. Nishant has the skills and experience to help us progress quickly.”
We caught up with Nishant to find out what brought him back to Clarius and what he envisions is the future of AI for ultrasound imaging.
What brought you back to Clarius?
« Serendipity brought me back. I was at a point in my career where I was looking for a new challenge. When I learned about this opportunity at Clarius, I was immediately interested. Clarius is an exceptional place to work with an innovative team. Everyone here is passionate and has a great sense of responsibility. I learned a great deal during my time here before and I am looking forward to expanding my knowledge and expertise alongside an incredible team. »
Are there AI projects you look forward to working on at Clarius?
« We currently have some fascinating projects in the pipeline at Clarius. I’m looking forward to supercharging the AI infrastructure to enable us to deploy more advanced AI solutions faster. Having the most advanced infrastructure plays a critical role in meeting that objective. »
What’s your educational background? What’s prepared you for working on AI projects?
« I completed my Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering at the Missouri University of Science and Technology. I then went on to complete a Master of Applied Science in the same field with emphasis in Machine Learning and Biomedical Image Processing. I first began working on the application of machine learning in ultrasound during my masters at the University of British Columbia. Since that time, I have continued to grow in the field of ML and AI. I think of myself as a generalist more than a specialist. Meaning, in the past few years I have gained essential data engineering, data science, and devops skills that have equipped me to excel in this new role at Clarius. »
Do you have any predictions about the future of AI for Clarius ultrasound?
« The future is full of opportunities. We will witness AI products augmenting the user experience on Clarius devices. Our objective is to bring human-centered AI to the ultrasound market. Simply put, the goal of the AI products is to help users complete their tasks more efficiently and also learn over time to improve the user experience. As Jeff Bezos would say, it is « Day 1″ for the AI team at Clarius and always will be. »
How will AI benefit ultrasound imaging?
« Great technological advances improve the quality of our lives. I believe AI is a transformative tool that will significantly improve the user experience with ultrasound, which currently requires training to become proficient. AI is already assisting with automated settings on Clarius to improve image quality. The next level of AI will incorporate tools that assist with image interpretation and automated guidance tools, which will provide another dimension of information to enhance diagnosis speed and accuracy. »
What are some of your personal interests?
« I am an avid fan of reading tech blogs and enjoy new discoveries in technology. I also teach and mentor students in engineering and data science. When I am not in front of my computer, I enjoy exploring the beautiful Pacific Northwest and playing soccer. »
Join us in welcoming back Nishant Uniyal and expect big news from Clarius as we push the limits of AI to redefine handheld ultrasound and equip clinicians with the most advanced imaging so they can deliver the best patient care!
