CellScope, une start-up dans le secteur de la santé mobile et qui conçoit des systèmes de diagnostic à la maison, a annoncé hui qu’elle avait levé un million de dollars en termes de financement de démarrage de chez Khosla Ventures. En utilisant les appareils photo des smartphones connectés à une plate-forme web, Cellscope a créé la première trousse médicale numérique.

"Nous profitons de l’omniprésence des appareils mobiles pour étendre et améliorer les soins", explique Erik Douglas, CEO de CellScope. "Nous sommes ravis de travailler avec Vinod Khosla pour bâtir cette vision, et améliorer les conditions de vie des patients et des parents partout."

Le premier produit de la société est un otoscope dans un smartphone pour le diagnostic à distance des infections pédiatriques de l’oreille, qui causent 30 millions de visites chez le médecin chaque année aux États-Unis. Les parents seront en mesure d’utiliser l’appareil depuis leur foyer et partager des images de la membrane du tympan avec des pédiatres à distance pour le diagnostic, le traitement et le suivi. Dans la vie des parents très occupés, ce signifie moins de travail manqué, moins de visite tardive aux urgences, et l’accroissement des revenus des médecins.

“Health data, the key ingredient to useful analysis and diagnosis, is starting to explode exponentially – and CellScope is on the cutting edge,” says investor Vinod Khosla. “Erik and his team are creating next-generation technology that will empower patients and help them access the best care in the most efficient manner possible.”

“Companies like Cellscope, who are rethinking consumer health, have the power to transform our very large and complex health care system,” says Halle Tecco, CEO of Rock Health. “We are proud to support innovators like Amy and Erik who are moving the digital health ecosystem forward.”

CellScope started in bioengineering Professor Dan Fletcher’s lab at UC Berkeley working on mobile microscopy for remote diagnosis in developing countries. The team went through Rock Health’s first class in San Francisco in 2011. Future CellScope products will leverage the platform for throat and skin exams and non-clinical applications including consumer skincare. The system is currently in pilot testing with doctors in the Bay Area.

To learn more, go to cellscope.com, or follow @cellscope on Twitter.

About Cellscope

CellScope uses optical attachments to turn smartphones into a diagnostic-quality imaging system. These patent-pending technologies empower consumers to save money and increase health by bringing expert diagnosis and advice into the home. Founders Erik Douglas and Amy Sheng founded Cellscope in 2010 while working on mobile microscopy in Professor Dan Fletcher’s lab at Berkeley. The company also took part in the first class at Rock Health, a seed accelerator for health startups based in San Francisco.

About Khosla Ventures

Khosla Ventures offers venture assistance, strategic advice and capital to entrepreneurs. The firm helps entrepreneurs extend the potential of their ideas in breakthrough technologies in mobile, internet, computing, health, clean energy, food, agriculture and semiconductors. Vinod Khosla founded the firm in 2004 and was formerly a General Partner at Kleiner Perkins and founder of Sun Microsystems. Khosla Ventures is based in Menlo Park, Calif. More information is available at www.khoslaventures.com.

For media inquiries, contact Erik Douglas at erik@cellscope.com.

 http://www.cellscope.com/release_6-11-2012/