Hyperfine Inc., known for developing the first FDA cleared AI driven portable MRI system for brain imaging called the Swoop system, announced a major step forward in its mission to expand access to brain health solutions in underserved regions. The company has received a 3.7 million dollar grant from the Gates Foundation to accelerate efforts that focus on improving early brain development and care for infants in low resource environments. This support signals trust not only in the portability and potential of the Swoop system but also in Hyperfine’s ability to scale technology that can create real global impact.

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The grant will fund work through 2028 and speed up technical advances in AI powered portable MRI for neonatal care. These improvements will help teams evaluate brain development in newborns and young children more accurately. The UNITY project, led by King’s College London, is using this technology to study neurodevelopment in areas where advanced medical imaging has historically been out of reach. The long term goal is to make early brain evaluation more reliable so that clinicians can intervene earlier and more effectively.

Millions of babies around the world face risks that can influence long term cognitive and motor development. Factors like premature birth, infection, malnutrition, and birth complications can place children at a disadvantage. In many low resource countries, health workers often rely on indirect clues to assess brain development because proper imaging tools are unavailable. These methods can miss important signs. The Swoop system offers a practical option for direct brain evaluation and can help clinicians track how maternal and child health programs influence early development. The technology is designed to provide real time information that supports better treatment decisions.

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Professor Steve Williams of King’s College London, who leads the UNITY research initiative, explained that the partnership with Hyperfine has made it possible to capture developing brain images in places where traditional MRI is not feasible. He emphasized that this work is opening the door to a low cost and scalable way to directly examine neurodevelopment. He noted that the team has already completed more than ten thousand scans on over six thousand newborns and infants in multiple countries, which highlights both the reach and transformative promise of the Swoop system.

The new funding builds on UNITY’s ongoing work, which looks at how environment, nutrition, infection, inflammation, and complications at birth affect a child’s brain. The initiative brings together more than forty research and clinical groups across high, middle, and low income nations, including locations such as Malawi, Zambia, Ghana, Kenya, India, and Pakistan. The next phase will focus on using imaging insights to strengthen treatment decisions for children growing up in these settings.

With this support, Hyperfine and King’s plan to develop AI based tools that improve image clarity for neonatal scans. Babies often move during imaging and the signal from low field MRI can be more challenging to interpret. The team intends to create methods that reduce motion related issues and enhance overall diagnostic confidence. These improvements aim to give clinicians more consistent and reliable results, which is essential when evaluating the developing brain.

Maria Sainz, President and CEO of Hyperfine Inc., shared that the company sees this milestone as validation of both the technology and the team’s readiness to deploy solutions at scale. She added that Hyperfine is committed to expanding access to imaging in regions where traditional MRI is not available and expressed gratitude for the Gates Foundation’s support. She highlighted that the continued collaboration with UNITY strengthens their shared goal of helping children around the world grow and develop with the best possible care.

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