Ultrasound technology makes Lithuania world-famous: “We started with an idea to apply it to industry”

The ultrasound solutions developed by the Lithuanian company Ulsontech are already attracting interest not only from European but also from Asian businesses. Dr Vykintas Samaitis, CEO of the company, which has successfully entered international markets, says that this achievement is not only the result of consistent work, but also of the introduction of new digitalisation solutions, thanks to the support of the European Digital Innovation Centre “EDIH4LT” and the Innovation Agency.

International attention for Lithuanian technology

Ulsontech, a manufacturer of state-of-the-art ultrasound technology, is rapidly making its way into international markets, thanks to the advice of the EDIH4LT Digitalisation Centre. The small but globally renowned company has been successfully developing ultrasound solutions for production process control, liquid level measurement and material defect detection since 2019. The technologies developed in Lithuania not only solve industrial problems, but also open new opportunities in the energy, chemical, medical and construction industries.

“We started with an idea of how ultrasound can be applied to industrial needs, and step by step we have developed a fully certified product, which, with the help of the digitalisation centre, is successfully making its way to the international markets,” says Dr. Samaitis, CEO of Ulsontech. According to him, today the Lithuanian product is already CE-certified, which allows the product to be marketed throughout the European Union. Rail, manufacturing and oil companies in Europe and Asia are interested in the solutions developed in Lithuania.

The idea to use ultrasound technology for non-invasive measurements came to Samaitis during his doctoral studies at KTU. Later, he joined the Institute of Ultrasound Science and together with his colleagues researched various measurement solutions. “The Ulsontech device was born during the development of an ammonia liquid meter for a chemical industry company. This unique Lithuanian device can measure the amount of liquid in any container without opening it.

“Such niche solutions are motivated by the opportunity to create something that doesn’t exist, the needs of customers and clients, and scientific curiosity. When working with technology, we often try to see not only the commercial potential of an idea, but also its scientific potential,” says Samaitis. According to him, the Ulsontech project was launched in 2019-2020, so it took almost 5 years to commercialise the idea. Today, this innovation can already be applied to solve problems of safe operation, ecology and energy saving wherever remote monitoring is needed – in medicine, construction, manufacturing, nuclear energy. It is estimated that 10 Ulsontech solutions have already been deployed in companies worldwide.

Product development has been driven by exceptional specialists

According to Samaitis, the sophisticated technology used by Ulsontech is compact – it is the size of a shoebox, so it can be integrated into the control centres of many industrial companies, but there is no limit to perfection. According to the researcher, the digitisation centre’s biggest help in enabling the company to move forward even faster was the ability to create an improved version of the product, and with the help of external consultants, the product reached the highest level of technical advancement, Level 9. Today, it has been commercialised and is being successfully deployed in production.

“The Digitalisation Centre has helped us to address specific problems that arose during application. We received advice from specialists with rare expertise, so we were able to improve the product in terms of technology, software and functionality,” says Samaitis. The newer version of the product is more accurate, more compact and easier to use. It is estimated that a total of around EUR 100 000 has already been invested in the development and commercialisation of this innovation.

Ulsontech’s main focus is the European and Asian markets. However, Samaitis points out that the market for ultrasound solutions in the industry, although important, is very niche, so it is not easy to find customers in other countries. According to him, it was the support of the EDIH4LT centre, in contact with other centres in the European network and decision makers, that was extremely valuable and contributed significantly to the company’s international development.

The Digitisation Centres welcome companies in different fields

According to Teresė Škutaitė, Head of the Innovation Agency GreenTech Hub, these centres are consortia, so they are made up of both business and scientific institutions. Experts can therefore provide a very wide range of solutions and suggest the best way to go digital. The experts tailor solutions to the individual needs of each organisation or company.

“All companies facing challenges in choosing or applying new digital solutions can seek free advice from the digitisation centres. This is a great opportunity for businesses to take a bold step forward with the help of professionals. The EDIH4LT Digital Innovation Hub alone has been used by more than 300 clients in the last two years,” says Teresė Škutaitė, Head of the Innovation Agency GreenTech Hub.

According to Dr Mindaugas Bulota, EDIH4LT coordinator, the main sectors in which the Hub specialises are manufacturing, healthcare and biotechnology, IT and financial technology. Large companies, companies with fewer resources for investment and public sector organisations all apply for free advice.

“Most companies, in particular, want to assess their digital maturity and create a roadmap for developing and commercialising innovation. The biggest value is that we can create an environment and test the technology in the centre before making an investment decision,” says Mr. Bulota.

In the later stages, EDIH4LT advises clients on finding external funding, assists in the implementation of new systems, organises training and catalyses the expansion in foreign countries. The training services are particularly popular, with over 600 participants in the centre’s training courses alone over two years.

Mr. Bulota reminds that the centres can be contacted via the ESIC contact details and services start immediately after an initial needs assessment.

Published by: Rasa Naktinė, Innovation Agency