January 26, 2010
Santa Clara, Calif. - January 26, 2010 - Nethra® Imaging, Inc. announced that NovaRay Medical and Triple Ring Technologies (TRT) have successfully developed a real-time X-ray imaging system using Nethra's Am2045™ Massively Parallel Processor Array (MPPA) devices. The new system takes advantage of the highly scalable architecture of the Nethra devices by using 13,440 32-bit processors in parallel, contained in 40 Am2045 devices. The 40-TeraOPS system in an ATCA chassis has a sustained image reconstruction rate of 32 slices, each with 1000 x 1000 pixel resolution, every 1/20th second - helping to enable up to 10 times reduction in radiation exposure.
The system will be used initially for interventional cardiology applications where precise real-time imaging is needed to guide the accurate placement of devices such as angioplasty balloons, stents, and artificial heart valves. Existing medical X-ray systems used for these procedures use a single point x-ray source and a 2-D detector array. These systems offer only 2-D imaging capability and both the patient and physician are exposed to large amounts of radiation.
The NovaRay system uses a high-speed scanning x-ray source operating in conjunction with a high-efficiency solid-state photon-counting detector array to take up to 9,000 separate views through the patient every 1/30th second. The resulting 40 Gbps data stream from the detector is processed by the Nethra MPPA-based reconstruction system to produce the real-time, high-resolution, multi-slice images. In addition to providing more complete anatomical information, the system also reduces radiation exposure to the patient by up to 10x and reduces physician exposure by up to 5x.
"We evaluated multiple DSP and FPGA families and massively parallel processor architectures to address our challenging requirements. We were attracted to the Nethra Am2045 device for its unique combination of high-speed I/O, computational performance, scalability, low power, and cost-effective pricing," said Ed Solomon, CTO, NovaRay. "Working with the Nethra support team, we were able to implement a rapid prototype of our reconstruction algorithm to verify that we could meet our throughput and performance requirements."
The Nethra Am2045 MPPA device offers patented self-synchronizing channels for an unprecedented level of programmability with massive processor scalability. Customers have proven that developers can rapidly program thousands of processors with Nethra's Ambric-architecture Am2045 devices. Because the self-synchronizing hardware strictly encapsulates each software component, existing Am2045 code doesn't have to be modified as new features are added to the design. Software and hardware performance also scale linearly, without adding complexity to the design.
"I was impressed that we were able, in just three months, to take the proof-of-concept design and scale it into a working system solution using Nethra's MPPA devices," said Winston Sun, senior director of Advanced Technologies, TRT. "The Nethra MPPAs have enabled us to meet aggressive time-to-market goals that we could not possibly have met using FPGAs and DSPs."
"We are very pleased to see NovaRay and TRT leverage the scalability and computational performance of our MPPAs," said Leigh Anderson, Director of Business Development for Nethra's MPPA Group. "TRT and NovaRay have developed a truly innovative system that will dramatically help both patients and physicians, and we are glad to be part of their breakthrough medical-imaging solution."
About Nethra
Nethra Imaging is a semiconductor and systems company focused on delivering innovative, high-bandwidth processing, transport and storage solutions that address signal processing, imaging and video applications in the medical imaging, broadcast, media and entertainment, and surveillance markets. Nethra was founded in 2003 and is based in Santa Clara, California. Since its inception, Nethra has developed an extensive portfolio of intellectual property including several proprietary imaging algorithms, and has established a robust silicon and systems design infrastructure. Nethra offers both industry-leading standard products and highly-differentiated custom solutions for its system-OEM customers. www.nethra.us.com.
About NovaRay, Inc.
NovaRay is a medical-imaging company focused on developing unique innovations in proprietary digital cardiac x-ray technology. NovaRay's initial clinical offering, the ScanCath™ cardiac catheterization system, offers advanced, revolutionary, and breakthrough imaging capabilities, coupled with dramatic reductions in radiation exposure to patients, operators, and staff. Visit www.novaraymedical.com.
About Triple Ring Technologies
Triple Ring Technologies is a leading provider of advanced contract research, development and strategic business services. Founded in 2004, Triple Ring focuses on finding simple solutions to complex problems spanning science, technology, and business. The company is a certified Nethra Developer and offers ATCA and micro-TCA boards and platforms incorporating the Nethra Am2045 as well as engineering services.
Click here to download whitepaper (PDF).
Nethra Contact:
Thanh Nguyen
408.200.1770
thanh@nethra.us.com