While completing a research assignment as an engineering student in college, David Lerner watched vascular surgeons diagnose and treat peripheral artery disease (PAD), which limits the blood flow to the legs and can lead to amputations or death, especially in people with diabetes.

"I really did see the terrible cost of human suffering, particularly for people from underserved communities," Lerner said, recalling patients experiencing debilitating chronic pain. Back then, PAD was difficult to diagnose and required a specialist, he said.

Decades later, Lerner is now the chief technology officer for CorRen Medical, which makes UltraSense, a ultrasound device aided by AI that the company says will allow clinicians from general health backgrounds more quickly diagnose PAD.

CorRen is one of two Twin Cities companies that were named finalists for a $75,000 grant from the American Heart Association after taking part in the AHA's EmPOWERED to Serve Business Accelerator program, which provides technical training, evaluation and funding to enhance the business models of startups whose devices aim to improve equity in health outcomes.

The other company is Gumbo, which launched a platform aimed at helping people with literacy and English proficiency challenges to access emergency care. The company's AI-driven app available in English, Somali, Amharic and Oromo helps streamline patients through the emergency room triage process, said the company's founder, Peter Musimami.

"Language should never stand in the way of critical care," Musimami said.

Mike McCormick, president and chief executive officer of CorRen, said PAD typically affects seniors and people who have high blood pressure and smoke.

Today, only certified vascular technicians can perform the test for the disease, which takes up to 30 minutes, he said. The probe the technicians use provides only a small window in which to detect blood vessels in the leg. CorRen's UltraSense will speed the process up, he said.

"Ours is automatic blood vessel detection," he said of his company's ultrasound device. "When you put our probe down, you don't have to move it. It automatically finds the vessel because it's got so much coverage."

UltraSense uses multiple sensors on the body and an AI algorithm to identify patterns and the velocity of blood in the arteries compared to medical standards. The technology doesn't make the diagnosis, but informs the physician who makes the final call, McCormick said.

The company is on track to wrap testing this year, McCormick said. Next year, he expects the device to receive clearance from the Food and Drug Administration and become available for use in healthcare settings. The company has already raised about $920,000, he said.

In the last 40 years, PAD has become more prevalent with increases in diabetes and obesity, Lerner said. Healthcare providers such as nurses and physicians assistants will be able to use the technology, he said.

"We felt that there was an opportunity to get a better technology in the hands of non-specialists so that other people who were typically underserved can benefit and get early detection from disease if it's present and early treatment," he said.