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Midjourney Goes Medical, Noam Shazeer & Dean Ball Join OpenAI | Diet TBPN
7/10TL;DR
Midjourney has launched Midjourney Medical, a new division developing high-resolution full-body scanning technology that blends advanced ultrasound hardware with AI-driven imaging.
KEY POINTS
A strategic expansion beyond AI art
Midjourney, widely known for AI image generation, is expanding into healthcare with Midjourney Medical. The move is positioned as a long-term evolution rather than a pivot, leveraging the company’s technical expertise and financial independence. Founder David Holz is leading the initiative as part of a broader push into hardware and scientific applications.
Founder’s track record in sensing technology
David Holz, previously founder of Leap Motion, has a history of building advanced sensing systems. Leap Motion pioneered hand-tracking technology for virtual reality using early machine learning techniques. Despite commercial challenges and failed acquisition talks with Apple, the company established Holz’s credibility in combining hardware, software, and perception systems.
Ultrasound scanner with extreme precision
The new system uses a ring of approximately 358,000 ultrasonic sensors arranged in a 70 cm structure. These sensors emit and receive waves at high frequencies, enabling detection of movements smaller than atomic scales. The system captures massive data flows of up to 17 GB per second, assembling detailed internal images of the human body.
Full-body 3D reconstruction in seconds
Users stand on a platform while the scanner captures hundreds of cross-sectional “slices” over about 60 seconds. These slices are processed across 21 servers using up to 2 petaflops of compute, generating a full 3D model with tissue resolution down to 0.5 millimeters. Each scan can involve tens of terabytes of raw data.
AI-powered analysis of biological structures
The imaging system identifies organs, tissues, and other biological structures automatically. Early demonstrations show the ability to distinguish at least 25 different anatomical features per slice. AI plays a central role in reconstructing, labeling, and interpreting the scan results.
Ambition for global-scale deployment
The long-term vision includes deploying up to 50,000 scanners, potentially enabling 1 billion scans per month. Initial rollout is expected to begin with flagship locations, including a major site in San Francisco, before broader distribution.
Consumer-friendly “spa-like” experience
Instead of clinical environments, the company aims to place scanners in settings resembling wellness centers or spas. The goal is to make advanced diagnostics routine, fast, and accessible without requiring direct physician supervision during scanning.
Potential for treatment, not just diagnostics
The underlying ultrasound technology could eventually go beyond imaging. High-frequency wave control may enable non-invasive interventions, such as targeting tumors or influencing cellular behavior. This “read and write” capability positions the system as a potential platform for future medical procedures.
Independent funding enables bold experimentation
Unlike many AI firms, Midjourney has not relied on venture capital, instead funding itself through its profitable core product. This independence allows the company to pursue high-risk, capital-intensive projects that might not align with typical investor timelines.
CONCLUSION
Midjourney’s entry into medical hardware signals an ambitious convergence of AI, imaging, and healthcare, with the potential to reshape both diagnostics and treatment through scalable, high-resolution body scanning.