# An Interview with Jean Rintoul

- Show: [The Amp Hour](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour)
- Published: 2019-06-24
- Length: 1h 29m
- Episode: 448
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2019-06-24-an-interview-with-jean-rintoul
- Listen: https://theamphour.com/448-an-interview-with-jean-rintoul/

## Summary

Jean Rintoul, founder of Mindseye Biomedical, discusses the Spectra, an open-source electrical impedance tomography (EIT) kit designed to make medical imaging accessible. He explains the physics of using low-level AC current to reconstruct images of internal body structures, contrasting this safe, low-cost approach with expensive, high-radiation alternatives like CT scans and MRIs. Rintoul details the hardware architecture, including the Analog Devices ADUCM350 MCU and multiplexing strategy, and shares his experience navigating the regulatory hurdles of medical device development, such as the FDA's de novo pathway.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2019-06-24-an-interview-with-jean-rintoul#t=0) Introduction: Jean Rintoul and Mindseye Biomedical
- [1:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2019-06-24-an-interview-with-jean-rintoul#t=63) The Problem with Medical Imaging and Regulatory Hurdles
- [4:50](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2019-06-24-an-interview-with-jean-rintoul#t=290) Physics of Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT)
- [11:36](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2019-06-24-an-interview-with-jean-rintoul#t=696) Safety, Current Levels, and Multi-frequency Techniques
- [15:16](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2019-06-24-an-interview-with-jean-rintoul#t=916) 2D vs 3D Reconstruction and Applications
- [23:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2019-06-24-an-interview-with-jean-rintoul#t=1381) Regulatory Challenges: The Bladder Device and FDA de Novo
- [39:44](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2019-06-24-an-interview-with-jean-rintoul#t=2384) Spectra Hardware: ADUCM350, Multiplexing, and Firmware
- [1:08:11](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2019-06-24-an-interview-with-jean-rintoul#t=4091) Software Stack: Electron, Python, and Versioning
- [1:16:31](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2019-06-24-an-interview-with-jean-rintoul#t=4591) Manufacturing Status and Community Response

## Topics

- [Medical & health devices](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/medical-devices)
- [Analog & power electronics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/analog-and-power-electronics)
- [Embedded firmware](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/embedded-firmware)
- [Microcontrollers & dev platforms](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/microcontrollers-and-platforms)
- [Crowdfunding & preorders](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/crowdfunding)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Mindseye Biomedical (company)
- Spectra (product)
- Zillico (company)
- Analog Devices (company)
- ADUCM350 (chip)
- ADG744 (chip)
- Keithley 6221 (tool)
- Crowd Supply (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [388: Brains Generate EMF](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-09-30-388-brains-generate-emf) (Embedded.fm)
- [83: The First Time I Was Electrocuted](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2015-01-07-83-the-first-time-i-was-electrocuted) (Embedded.fm)
- [Ep 158: Phased Array Physics, CRTs Two Ways, A Micro Microcontroller, and a Surgically Implanted Red Herring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2022-03-04-ep-158-phased-array-physics-crts-two-ways-a-micro-microcontroller-and-a-surgical) (Hackaday Podcast)
- [197: Smell the Transistor](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2017-04-26-197-smell-the-transistor) (Embedded.fm)
- [293: Skateboard Tricks (Repeat)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-12-23-293-skateboard-tricks-repeat) (Embedded.fm)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2019-06-24-an-interview-with-jean-rintoul. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to The Amp Hour.