HeartFocus Link integrates AI cardiac ultrasound with any cart system.

      TL;DR: DESKi has introduced HeartFocus Link, an AI-assisted cardiac imaging solution that connects a tablet and HDMI cable to any cart-based ultrasound system. Cleared by the FDA, this software was previously exclusive to Butterfly Network's handheld devices and addresses the significant sonographer shortage, which currently leaves 92% of eligible hospitalized patients without echocardiograms.

      HeartFocus, the AI-driven cardiac imaging software by the French medtech firm DESKi, has debuted HeartFocus Link, a product enabling a tablet to connect to any cart-based ultrasound system via HDMI. This tablet runs HeartFocus’s AI guidance software alongside live ultrasound images, providing real-time probe positioning instructions for clinicians and trainees to obtain diagnostic-quality cardiac views.

      This launch is significant because it liberates HeartFocus from being tied to a single hardware platform. Previously, the software was only available on Butterfly Network’s portable ultrasound devices, which limited its accessibility to institutions that already possessed those specific tools. HeartFocus Link is compatible with the cart-based systems that many hospitals and training programs currently own.

      How it functions

      HeartFocus Link supports ten standard transthoracic echocardiographic views and employs a patented 3D guidance system that overlays probe positioning instructions directly onto the live ultrasound display. This overlay minimizes cognitive strain by allowing users to focus on a single screen instead of toggling between a reference guide and the ultrasound monitor.

      Two additional features are tailored for training settings. The Auto Record feature automatically captures image clips once certain quality standards are achieved, eliminating the manual task of saving frames during practice. Additionally, a real-time quality scoring system offers immediate feedback, providing trainees with an objective measure of image quality instead of relying solely on instructor evaluations.

      The product is currently available to medical schools, residency programs, and ultrasound training institutions. DESKi mentions that clinical deployment on cart-based systems will follow as the company joins a growing number of AI-powered cardiac imaging startups pursuing FDA pathways for wider clinical application.

      The sonographer shortage fueling demand

      HeartFocus seeks to fill a significant gap in cardiac care. Between 2011 and 2021, the need for ultrasound exams in the U.S. increased by 55%, rising from 38.6 million to 59.8 million, while the sonographer workforce grew by only 44%. Educational capacity saw a mere 23% growth over the same timeframe, indicating that the influx of new sonographers is not keeping up with retirements, let alone the increase in demand.

      The ramifications are evident. Echocardiography is conducted on just 8% of eligible hospitalized patients, despite clinical evidence supporting its role in reducing mortality and improving outcomes. Sonographer vacancy rates peaked at 16.7% in 2023 before improving slightly to 12.4% in 2025.

      AI-assisted imaging tools like HeartFocus aim to address this gap by enabling general clinicians to obtain usable cardiac images after mere hours of training instead of months. Research presented at the American College of Cardiology conference demonstrated that novice users utilizing HeartFocus achieved over 85% agreement with expert evaluations of echocardiographic parameters.

      A small company with FDA clearance and a growing ecosystem

      Founded in 2016 by brothers Bertrand and Olivier Moal, DESKi employs Bertrand, a medical doctor with a PhD in biomechanical engineering, as CEO, while Olivier possesses engineering degrees from Berkeley and EPFL. Headquartered in Bordeaux, the company raised a $6 million seed round in mid-2025, led by Racine², an impact fund managed by Serena and Makesense, with contributions from BNP Paribas Développement.

      HeartFocus obtained FDA clearance in April 2025, along with a Predetermined Change Control Plan allowing DESKi to modify the software’s AI algorithms without requiring full regulatory review each time. The algorithms are based on more than 10 million data points. DESKi is part of a cluster of French health-tech startups developing AI tools that have gained early traction in the U.S. market.

      In April 2026, HeartFocus collaborated with Inteleos, a global healthcare certification entity, to introduce the first AI cardiac point-of-care ultrasound certification. This credential provides clinicians and institutions a means to showcase verified competency in AI-assisted cardiac imaging, a vital development as hospitals begin to formalize governance surrounding AI tools in clinical contexts.

      Competitive landscape and limitations

      HeartFocus is not alone in its pursuit of AI-assisted cardiac ultrasound. UltraSight, an Israeli startup, has also secured FDA clearance to advance AI-guided echocardiography across ultrasound systems. The broader health-tech market is experiencing rapid convergence among AI software, sensor hardware, and clinical workflows, with various companies, from smart ring manufacturers to cardiac imaging startups, vying for clinician adoption.

      HeartFocus Link’s HDMI-based method is practical, yet comes with limitations. It offers AI guidance as an overlay rather than integrating directly into the ultrasound system's software framework, which prevents access to or processing of the raw ultrasound data stream. This constraint limits the depth of