Monash University is leading the design of a new lightweight, mobile CT scanner as part of a $25 million contract awarded through the United States’ Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H).
The project aims to deliver hospital-level diagnostic imaging to rural and underserved communities across the US, the university said in a news release.
In collaboration with Australian technology company Micro-X and Johns Hopkins University, Monash University will contribute to the PARADIGM program (Platform Accelerating Rural Access to Distributed and InteGrated Medical care), a major ARPA-H initiative launched in 2024 to reduce healthcare access disparities in rural America.
Monash University’s Design Health Collab, based within the Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture, will lead the design of a new CT scanner that weighs just 225 kilograms—lighter than traditional systems, which typically weigh about 2,000 kilograms.
Dr Nyein Chan Aung, project lead from Monash’s Design Health Collab, said the mobility of CT scanning represents a critical step forward in healthcare accessibility.
“Medical technology has seen a wave of miniaturisation, from portable ultrasound to wearable health monitors, but CT scanners remain the final frontier,” Dr Aung said. “Through design, we are now driving this transformation, making full-body CT imaging truly mobile for the first time.”
The new system is made possible by Micro-X’s Nano Electronic X-ray (NEX) Technology, which uses miniaturised X-ray emitters to deliver high-quality, three-dimensional imaging without the bulk of traditional equipment.
Professor Daphne Flynn, Director of Design Health Collab, said the design team is focused on creating distributed healthcare solutions that extend beyond hospitals.
“Design Health Collab is committed to improving the experience and equity of healthcare, where communities can access services regardless of where they live,” she said.
“This project demonstrates Monash University’s place on the world stage in innovation and design, and we’re proud to be working with our partners to create more accessible health outcomes across the world.”
Micro-X CEO Kingsley Hall said the technology addresses a fundamental limitation of current medical imaging systems.
“Micro-X continues to push boundaries, challenging the constraints of legacy X-ray technology to deliver new and innovative solutions that meet the needs of customers, users and patients,” he said.
The mobile CT scanner is one of several innovations being developed by 12 teams under the PARADIGM program, which also includes work in diagnostics, mobile healthcare vehicles, and data integration.
The scanner is expected to be completed and ready for deployment by 2029.
