Kettex was developing a new generation of ENT camera, the KX-02, to capture vocal cords in more detail, but ran into high device power consumption and USB 3.0 limitations during prototyping. We helped design the electronics, debug the communication, and design the power supply so that the camera could handle image transmission via USB 3.0 and control via USB 2.0. The key was to follow the design rules for high-speed signals, verify the behavior of the connections in Altium Designer, and solve the thermal load in the miniature camera space. The result was a device that passed final certification in 2026.
Why Kettex needed a new generation of the KX-02 endoscopy camera
Imagine an instrument that can peer into the human throat and capture every movement of the vocal cords in surprising detail. The Czech company Kettex is developing just such a camera for ENT doctors.
The original KX-01 model has served doctors reliably for many years, but medicine is moving forward and better quality images are now needed to accurately diagnose vocal cord disease.
The new version of KX-02 was supposed to be a revolution in the diagnosis of voice problems. But every revolution has its obstacles. During the development of the new generation of this device, Kettex encountered a seemingly unsolvable problem – the high power consumption of the device.
New camera problem: power tuning for USB 3.0
We first communicated with Kettex in 2023. They approached us because they knew we had experience in special electronics for medicine.
“You were the only one who could make a USB 3.0 hub, companies before you couldn’t do it.” Said RNDr. Filip Krolupper Ph.D., CEO of Kettex Development s.r.o.
But it wasn’t entirely easy. “When we launched the first prototype camera, we were thrilled with the image quality. But that enthusiasm was quickly replaced by apprehension,” recalls the head of development.
It was clear that the power consumption of the device was higher than the limits for USB 3.0, and our research began. Different design options were tried and in the end a combined solution of USB 3.0 for video and USB 2.0 for control won out.
Endoscopic camera KX-02
Design in Altium Designer and cooling simulation
The new USB 3.0 communication solution had to be developed with careful adherence to all design rules. In this we are assisted (in addition to a lot of non-transferable experience) by the top software Altium Designer.
We draw all the designs in it, and for this project it allowed us to simulate how the signals would behave on the miniature connections inside the camera. Of course, we also monitor the signal integrity on the PCB (i.e. that the signal does not get corrupted, distorted or noisy).
In early 2026, the KX-02 underwent final certification. For clinicians, this means access to a device that will allow them to diagnose voice problems even more accurately. And for us? More proof that even seemingly intractable problems have solutions – you just need to know how to solve them.
