About
Butterfly Network is a connected medicine platform built around its flagship iQ3 handheld ultrasound probe—a single device capable of whole-body imaging powered by proprietary Ultrasound-on-Chip™ technology. The platform integrates seamlessly with Compass AI™, a centralized software solution that manages an entire institutional ultrasound program, and an AI Marketplace that hosts specialty-specific clinical applications compatible with Butterfly probes. Designed for individual clinicians, health systems, medical educators, and global health initiatives, Butterfly enables ultrasound at the point of care across specialties including emergency medicine, cardiology, critical care, anesthesiology, OB/GYN, urology, and veterinary medicine. Its iQ3 probe offers double the processing power of its predecessor for clearer, faster imaging. The platform also includes a 360° education suite with tutorials, training packages, and expert-led courses, making it ideal for medical schools, residency programs, and trainees who receive exclusive pricing. For health systems, Butterfly provides enterprise-grade workflow management and integration tools to unify ultrasound delivery across large care networks—including rural and resource-limited settings. Developers can build custom applications on top of Butterfly probes via a dedicated developer program and API access.
Key Features
- Single Whole-Body Probe (iQ3): The iQ3 is a third-generation handheld device using Ultrasound-on-Chip™ technology to deliver whole-body imaging from a single probe with double the processing power and clearer images than its predecessor.
- Compass AI™ Software Platform: A centralized software solution that integrates and manages an entire institutional ultrasound program, enabling streamlined workflows across clinicians, departments, and care settings.
- AI Marketplace: An ecosystem of AI-powered clinical applications compatible with Butterfly probes, enabling specialty-specific diagnostic support and automated calculations at the point of care.
- 360° Education Suite: Comprehensive tutorials, training packages, and expert-led courses designed for medical students, residents, and practicing clinicians to build and maintain ultrasound proficiency.
- Developer Platform & API: A developer program that allows clinicians and engineers to build custom ultrasound applications tailored to specific specialties, extending the probe's capabilities through an open API.
Use Cases
- Emergency physicians performing rapid bedside assessments to guide immediate treatment decisions without waiting for radiology.
- Critical care teams using continuous point-of-care ultrasound monitoring to track patient hemodynamics and guide interventions in the ICU.
- Medical schools and residency programs integrating Butterfly into curricula to teach ultrasound-guided clinical skills with hands-on, AI-assisted training.
- Health systems deploying Butterfly across multiple facilities—including rural hospitals—to standardize ultrasound access and quality enterprise-wide.
- Global health organizations and NGOs using portable Butterfly probes to deliver diagnostic imaging in resource-limited or remote settings.
Pros
- True Whole-Body Imaging in One Device: Eliminates the need for multiple specialty probes—one handheld device covers all imaging needs, reducing cost and complexity for individual clinicians and institutions.
- Seamless AI Integration: Built-in AI and an expanding marketplace of clinical apps provide automated measurements, guided scanning, and decision support directly at the point of care.
- Scalable from Individuals to Health Systems: Works equally well for solo practitioners and large hospital networks, with enterprise features like Compass AI™ supporting system-wide ultrasound program management.
- Strong Educational Ecosystem: The 360° education suite and exclusive trainee pricing make it highly accessible for medical schools, residency programs, and global health initiatives.
Cons
- Premium Hardware Cost: As a medical-grade device, the upfront cost of the probe hardware is significant, which may be a barrier for individual clinicians or under-resourced settings despite discounts.
- Specialized Use Case: The platform is purpose-built for clinical medicine, limiting its applicability to healthcare professionals and institutions rather than a general audience.
- Learning Curve for POCUS: Effective use of ultrasound requires training and skill development; while Butterfly provides education tools, proficiency still demands significant clinical practice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Butterfly iQ3 and how does it differ from the iQ+?
The iQ3 is Butterfly Network's third-generation handheld ultrasound probe, featuring double the processing power and superior image clarity compared to the iQ+. Both support whole-body imaging from a single probe, but the iQ3 is the current flagship model. Existing iQ+ owners can trade in for a credit toward an iQ3 upgrade.
Which medical specialties does Butterfly support?
Butterfly supports a wide range of specialties including anesthesiology, cardiology, critical care, emergency medicine, EMS, hospital medicine, MSK, nursing, OB/GYN, primary care, urology, and veterinary medicine.
What is Compass AI™?
Compass AI™ is Butterfly's centralized software platform that allows health systems to integrate and manage their entire ultrasound program in one place. It streamlines workflows, supports multi-site deployment, and ensures consistent ultrasound delivery across rural and academic settings.
Can developers build custom apps for Butterfly probes?
Yes. Butterfly provides a dedicated developer platform and API that allows engineers and clinicians to build custom ultrasound applications compatible with Butterfly probes, tailored to specific clinical specialties or workflows.
Is Butterfly available for veterinary use?
Yes. The iQ3 Vet™ is a next-generation, all-species veterinary imaging solution built on the same Butterfly probe platform, extending POCUS capabilities to animal care professionals.
