Alberta company positions itself to enter American market

June 24, 2020

A photo of an ultrasound probe
Ultrasound probe

Edmonton-based startup MEDO.ai was recently granted FDA approval for the world's first tool using artificial intelligence to detect hip dysplasia. This condition affects up to 1 in 33 infants, and is where the ball-and-socket hip joint is poorly formed, leading to premature hip arthritis if it is missed in infancy. 

Artificial Intelligence powered analysis

Trainedusing the expertise of subspecialist physicians, MEDO's Automated Real-timeIntelligent Assistant (ARIA) uses artificial intelligence to interpret theultrasound images. According to MEDO.ai, ARIA has been scientificallyshown to be as accurate in diagnosing hip dysplasia as expert radiologists, andmuch easier for novice users to acquire and interpret these scans thanconventional approaches. 

MEDO.ai'sinnovation presents doctors with a powerful tool to assess hip dysplasia,potentially avoiding many preventable hip replacements.  

Innovation that improves lives

We're happy to congratulate Dr. Dornoosh Zonoobi, co-founder and MEDO.ai's chief executive officer, and her team on their FDA approval, a significant milestone. This is a wonderful example of Alberta innovation improving lives.

A picture of Drs. Dornoosh Zonoobi and Jacob Jaremko, MEDO.ai co-founder
Drs. Dornoosh Zonoobi and Jacob Jaremko, MEDO.ai co-founders

Support that improves innovation

"We consider ourselves incredibly fortunate to have had the support of Alberta Innovates as we've founded and grown MEDO to the exciting state that we're currently at." said Dr. Dornoosh Zonoobi. "Not only have they provided ongoing advice and mentorship, but we've been approved for grants at numerous times to support our ambitious commercialization and research efforts. We have accomplished a lot, but feel like we are only beginning, and look forward to our ongoing relationship."

"Through our programs and services, Alberta Innovates is uniquely positioned to enable the creation of scaled solutions for the global marketplace," said Tim Murphy, Alberta Innovates' Vice President, Health. "We continue to strategically invest in artificial intelligence/machine learning in ways that accelerate the benefits of innovation, yielding dividends for Alberta faster - and MEDO.ai is one example of our strategy coming to fruition."

Photos courtesy of Laughing Dog Photography