Damaged probes, costly replacements
Probes routinely run into thousands of euros each. Cables that get stepped on, rolled over, or yanked fail prematurely.
Ultrasound cables,
off the floor.
Automatically.
Kabeleon is a compact device that keeps ultrasound probe cables suspended during scans - without changing how sonographers work.
The problem
Cables on the floor are a daily reality in ultrasound.
In every clinical environment we've visited - across Denmark, Germany, Sweden, and Ukraine - we've seen the same thing: ultrasound probe cables on the floor, rolled over by machine wheels and chairs, dragged across surfaces, coiled and uncoiled by hand between scans.
Machines out of service
When a probe fails, the machine often sits unused for days or weeks while replacements are sourced.
Friction in the workflow
Sonographers manage cables manually during scans, especially when moving the machine - and cables on the floor raise hygiene and tripping concerns even when wiped between uses.
How it works
A small device. A simple mechanism.
No new habits to learn.
Kabeleon hooks onto the ultrasound machine's handle and clips to the probe cable at its midpoint. The cable hangs in two arcs on either side - never touching the floor, never reaching the wheels.
Inside the device, a constant-force spring keeps light tension on the cable. When the sonographer needs full reach - a far-side patient, an emergency away from the machine - they simply pull the probe. The cable extends smoothly, with a pulling force so light it goes unnoticed. The moment they stop, or return the probe to its rack, the cable retracts automatically.
The sonographer never interacts with Kabeleon directly. There's nothing to coil, nothing to remember.
From user testing
Tested with the people who use it every day.
"Kabeleon made the workflow smoother and kept the cables off the floor and wheels. No need to think about picking up, coiling, or rolling over cables anymore."
"Ultrasound probe cables lay on the floor and get easily damaged, while being extremely expensive to replace. Kabeleon will help us save resources in cables, maintenance, and time lost to unusable ultrasound machines."
"It took me a little time to get used to not holding, coiling, or pulling the cable while using the ultrasound machine - but Kabeleon really made it easier, and I'm no longer afraid of damaging cables when moving the machine."
Current status
In active testing. Refining toward pilot.
We've validated the problem with clinicians and procurement departments in Denmark, Germany, Sweden, and Ukraine. User testing is ongoing in the Cardiology department at Aarhus University Hospital, where we're refining the design and materials in close collaboration with the people who'll use it.
Kabeleon is currently a working prototype. We're preparing for pilot installations and welcome conversations with departments interested in being involved.
Get in touch about a pilotWho we are
A team of clinician-designers.
Kabeleon was initiated through the BioMedical Design Fellowship - a programme of the Novo Nordisk Foundation and Aarhus University - in collaboration with clinicians and procurement at Aarhus University Hospital.
Ellen Dagmar Björnsdóttir
Medical doctor. Biomedical designer. Founder of Medical Zebras and BioBlobs.
Kicki Norman Nielsen
Emergency nurse. Biomedical designer. CEO of Nordic Phantoms.
Carsten Øster Nielsen
Industrial designer. Biomedical designer.
Martin Vincent Gobry
Molecular biologist (PhD). Biomedical designer.
Based in Aarhus, Aalborg, and Odense, Denmark.
Get involved
Interested in seeing Kabeleon in your department?
We're talking with hospitals, clinics, and individuals curious about pilot installations or future availability. Drop us a line - we'll be in touch.
Thanks, we'll be in touch.
Or write to us directly at info@kabeleon.dk