힐세리온

Market position

The company describes SONON as the world's first mobile-based portable wireless ultrasound device and presents itself as the pioneer and leader of the handheld ultrasound category. Korean press coverage similarly describes Healcerion as the first developer of a handheld wireless ultrasound device.

Wireless operation with consumer smartphones and tablets, small form factor (about 24 cm and 390 g), battery-swap continuous operation, the proprietary VSE imaging technology claimed to quadruple resolution versus conventional beamforming, and miniaturized high-voltage circuit and thermal design that the company positions as difficult for later entrants to replicate.

Technology

SONON devices generate and transmit ultrasound wirelessly to a paired mobile device. The founder describes designing circuitry handling more than 30 times the computation of conventional fixed ultrasound systems while fitting the high-voltage circuits (over 100 volts) and heat management required for ultrasound generation into a small housing, which he characterizes as a barrier to imitation. The company also markets a proprietary imaging technique branded VSE, which it says captures spatial ultrasound information with a single beam projection rather than a single line, claiming roughly four times the resolution of conventional beamforming, along with seamless video acquisition. The 500L features an adjustable control panel, ergonomic grip and battery-swap operation for continuous 24-hour use. AI features are under development to guide examinations and generate reports.

Go-to-market

The company targeted overseas markets from the development stage, obtaining European certification first and Korean approval afterwards, and exports its devices internationally. It runs education content and a demo request program on its website, publishes clinical research references, and works with Korean medical societies to expand recognized clinical use cases.

Clinicians and emergency responders needing point-of-care imaging, including emergency medicine, obstetrics/gynecology, radiology, orthopedics and musculoskeletal practice; the company also aims to broaden use to physicians outside ultrasound-intensive specialties, and cites veterinary/exotic pet and rehabilitation research applications. Devices have also reached under-served regions through donations via KOICA and NGOs.

Geography

Headquartered at Guro-gu, Seoul (Digital-ro 33-gil 12, Guro-dong), with products exported broadly: roughly 30 export countries as of the 2016 interview, and more than 7,000 units across 65 countries as of October 2024.

History

The company was founded in February 2012 as a venture business. In 2012 it won the grand prize at the Small and Medium Business Administration's Superstar V startup league national final and a top award at the venture expo, based on its mobile wireless ultrasound technology. In 2013 it signed a cooperation agreement with Gachon University Gil Hospital for joint device development and clinical testing and raised venture capital investment in Korea. KFDA approval and CE and FDA certifications followed in 2014 and 2015, and the first SONON device was officially launched in Korea in February 2014. By 2024 the company reported 20 employees and roughly KRW 20 billion in cumulative investment.

Risks & controversies

Management identifies limited adoption as the main constraint: outside specialties such as obstetrics/gynecology, radiology and orthopedics, many physicians have little experience operating ultrasound equipment or knowing what it can detect, restricting the addressable use of handheld devices. Early financing was difficult, with the founder investing personal funds and relying on government startup program support.