Most people associate iPhone applications with playing games, finding restaurants or listening to music. But a new iPhone app from Bothell medical device maker SonoSite actually could help doctors save lives.

SonoSite — which makes a hand-held ultrasound device —  today introduced a new app called SonoAccess that allows doctors to access instructional ultrasound images and videos on the go. The app, which is free, includes 28 videos and 17 case studies that doctors can use to study ultrasound techniques.

“There are not a lot of resources that give simple, practical tips on how to optimize the position of the probe or position the patient," said Dr. David Auyong, a Seattle anesthesiologist who was quoted in the release.  "Having a resource for continuing education available 24/7 like this will be helpful.”

So, next time you see your doctor on the iPhone, you can rest assured that they are at work rather than checking baseball scores or tuning into Pandora.

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and Amazon patents electronic pen technology, mum on plans  

Amazon.com launched two new Kindles in quick succession this year. So what will its next electronic reader look like? How about one that works with an electronic pen? Amazon recently received a patent for an "electronic input device such as an electronic pen" that can be used to annotate paper documents and locate the corresponding digital version.

The utility patent, No. 7,546,524, was granted June 9 and lists its inventors as Colin Bryar, Hilliard Siegel, and Steven Kessel. The original patent application was filed on March 30, 2005.

The patent describes an "Electronic input device, system, and method using human-comprehensible content to automatically correlate an annotation of a paper document with a digital version of the document."

Here’s more description from the abstract:

An electronic input device such as an electronic pen is provided to annotate a paper document. The input device records an annotation and an image of human-comprehensible content in the document sufficient to identify the document and possibly a location in the document. The human-comprehensible content is used to locate a digital version of the document and determine a corresponding location of the annotation in the digital version of the document. A computer system such as a server system may receive and store the annotation in association with the digital version of the document. The server system may further augment the digital version of the document with the annotation and send the augmented version to an output device for display and/or printing.

Amazon spokeswoman Patty Smith declined to comment. Current Kindles, including the new DX, aren’t touch screen, but if they ever go that route, an electronic pen or stylus would be an interesting addition. The idea of scanning printed books and newspapers — and finding electronic versions on the Kindle or other devices — could be a powerful feature too, driving more sales of digital content.

Here’s another image from the Amazon patent filing:

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and M2E switches focus, seeks buyer for motion-to-energy technology  

In late 2007, OVP Venture Partners led an $8 million investment in a Boise company called M2E Power which had developed a technology to convert a person’s movement (walking, running or sitting) into energy that then charged mobile devices. It was a pretty amazing concept in battery charging — with possible implications for soldiers in battle or those folks who just wanted to charge up their cell phones while on the go.

But it turns out that the mobile device market didn’t work as planned, and now M2E is looking for a buyer.

"M2E found that size and mass limitations surrounding the cell phone space were too restrictive, but that some larger form factors (a la vehicular motion) were more promising," OVP’s Gerry Langeler tells TechFlash. "While the cell phone opportunity captured attention because it was easy for people to relate to it, the original focus included the larger form factors."

Last December, the company recruited Eric Apfelbach as chief executive. (He’s been commuting between Wisconsin and Boise). He wasn’t brought on to find a buyer, but Langeler said that he did help discover a potential acquirer. Those talks are in "active discussions," Langeler said.

Earth2Tech’s Katie Fehrenbacher broke the news last night and has more details on what is going on at the company, citing a report from researcher and frequent OVP critic Krassen Dimitrov who called M2E’s business idea "unworkable due to simple thermodynamic constraints."

In the report, Dimitrov — who co-founded OVP-backed company NanoString Technologies — said the $8 million venture round was “another example of irresponsible investment decisions amidst the hype of alternative energy."

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Is Bing Travel copying Kayak’s popular travel Web site?  

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Well, maybe not for the folks at online travel company Kayak.com who are now accusing Microsoft’s recently launched Bing Travel service of what essentially amounts to Web site design plagiarism.

Kayak has sent a legal letter to Microsoft asking them to alter the site, with the Norwalk, Connecticut company’s chief marketing officer telling Wired that: “from the look and feel of their travel product, they seem to agree with our approach to the market.” (Link via PaidContent.org.)

In an emailed statement, Microsoft spokeswoman Whitney Burk denied that there’s any sort of copying going on.

“We are discussing the matter with Kayak," she said. "Bing Travel is based on independent development by Microsoft and Farecast.com, which Microsoft acquired in 2008. Any contrary allegations are without merit.”

The most similar elements appear in the left columns where both sites allow consumers to choose non-stop flights, specific travel times and airlines. Interestingly, Farecast — the Seattle online travel startup that Microsoft gobbled up last year — utilized many of those design techniques on its site too.

Still, the rub against Microsoft over the years — whether in Internet search or software products such as Excel — is that it operates as a follower of innovative ideas.

Is the software giant doing that now in online travel?

You be the judge. Here’s Bing Travel’s site:

And here is Kayak’s travel site:

[Disclosure: Microsoft Bing is presenting sponsor of the upcoming TechFlash Summer BBQ and Ping-Pong Tournament.]

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