With a background in pediatric devices and as a mom to a neonatal/pediatric ICU patient, Dori Jones has seen firsthand the gaps in technology when it comes to caring for pediatric patients.

On a mission to address the lack of precision medicine tools specifically designed for children and babies, Jones, along with a team of device industry experts at AcQumen Medical, developed UltraTrac, the first ultrasound-guided impedance technology for blood flow monitoring and analytics.

Hemodynamic measurements, which assess cardiovascular function, are useful in diagnosing, monitoring, and treating patients, but “current monitoring tools are either invasive and risky or inaccurate and lacking the actionable data needed to care for complex pediatric patients,” says Jones, CEO of AcQumen, founded in 2024. “The [UltraTrac] system is designed to improve patient outcomes and reduce health care costs.” 

When the team started exploring the combination of ultrasound and impedance—the measurement of resistance to the flow of an electrical current through a biological tissue or system—they considered several adult applications, including heart failure patients. Around that time, Jones’ son was in and out of the hospital. 

“I started interviewing pediatric clinicians to better understand the problems they faced in caring for critically ill babies and children,” Jones says. “It became immediately apparent that UltraTrac would fill a true unmet need—the ability to accurately and continuously assess the blood flow of tiny patients.”

The UltraTrac System is a completely non-invasive impedance device, using electrodes on the skin, much like an ECG, according to AcQumen’s website. UltraTrac leverages a novel ultrasound technology to calibrate the impedance values and waveform, but without the need for a trained sonographer. With UltraTrac, clinicians are able to take measurements like blood pressure, heart rate, the volume of blood the heart pumps per minute, and the heart’s efficiency in pumping blood in real time.     

“Designing technologies for small patients adds a layer of complexity and is also our deepest source of motivation. Pediatric and neonatal care demands precision, gentleness, and adaptability in ways that adult-focused devices simply don’t,” says Jones. “From anatomical variability to small blood volume, every design decision must account for the unique physiology and clinical realities of small patients.”

Throughout the development of UltraTrac, the AcQumen team collaborated closely with neonatal and pediatric doctors and nurses, as well as pediatric device experts, to understand both the technical requirements and the operational context of care. UltraTrac was refined through prototyping and real-world feedback, ensuring that every element—from sensor placement to interface design—supports safe and intuitive use.

With a clinical-grade, patient-ready prototype of UltraTrac and partnerships with leading children’s hospitals around the U.S, AcQumen Medical is ready to gain ground in a $2.3 billion market. In the coming six to 18 months, the company, a 2025 recipient of the Launch MN Business Innovation Grant, will finalize the design of the ultrasound technology and kick off clinical studies to demonstrate its safety, performance, and clinical utility.

“We’re not just building a device—we’re advancing a platform for precision care,” says Jones. “The coming months will be about translating innovation into measurable impact for the most vulnerable patients.”

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