TDK has put an mems piezoelectric ultrasonic time-of-flight distance sensor inside a 3.5 x 3.5mm package along with its signal chain. “ICU-10201 offers the sensitivity required for obstacle avoidance or proximity sensing, which is used frequently in robotics, drones and robot vacuum cleaners,” according to the company. “The sensor provides millimeter-accurate range measurements to targets at distances up to 1.7m, ...
Tag Archives: ultrasound
Simple idea lets ultrasound sense the unsensable
An ultrasound-based sensing technique developed for medicine could have wider application. The question that inspired the technique was: how do we spot leaks from the gut after gastric surgery? Neither ultrasound, CT or MRI scanning could be used to remotely determine local chemistry around the internal wound, according to Northwestern University, which teamed up with the Washington University School of ...
Elastomer engineering finally gets deep images from skin patch ultrasound
Engineers at MIT have found a way to get sub-mm resolution and deep penetration from a stick-on ultrasound patch that can be worn for at least two days and peels off at the end of monitoring without leaving residue. In a proof-of-concept, they demonstrated sub-mm resolution images in the first centimetres of tissue, allowing blood vessels to be monitored live, ...
Waterproof ultrasonic transducers offer angle and range choice
CUI Devices has introduced ultrasonic transducers with ingress protection ratings of IP67 or IP68, operating up to 400kHz. There are 18 models, with beam angle spanning 7° to 80° and operational distance ranging from 30mm to 15m. “With combined transmit and receive functions in a single package, engineers can benefit from a simplified ultrasonic sensor solution for distance measurement, object ...
Ultrasonic camera detects electrical discharge
RS Components is shipping a hand-held ultrasonic-imaging camera from Flir. “Ultrasonic imaging is a relatively new technology that can provide the detection of compressed air discharge or leaks, as well as electrical discharge and condition monitoring in the power generation sector,” according to RS. Called FLIR Si124, it offers built-in analytics for automatic recognition of partial discharge in high-voltage electrical ...
Explosive atmosphere switches from Schurter
Schurter’s PSE EX family of piezoelectric switchesno mechanical switching contacts are sealed to IP69K, have aluminium or stainless steel housings and are intended for use in explosive environments. “They offer maximum reliability and a long service life,” according to the company. “Due to their hermetically sealed housing they are predestined for use in the harshest environments, in potentially explosive installations ...
‘Best’ route to sound focussing
The ‘clipping method’ is the best route to creating virtual sound source in an arbitrarily-shaped room, according to researchers at Brigham Young University. The aim is to use multiple loudspeakers (see photo) and time-reversal signal processing to focus sound waves to a selected location, which then effectively becomes a virtual source of spherical waves. There are two steps to time-reversal processing: during the ...
Stamp-sized stick-on ultrasound array scans 40mm into body – measures deep blood pressure
A coin-sized flexible stick-on ultrasonic phased-array that allows blood pressure to be measured in arteries
Berkeley engineers build smallest wireless nerve stimulator
Engineers at University of California Berkley have created at wireless nerve stimulator, claimed to be the smallest of its kind, at 6.5mm2 Called StimDust, it “is the smallest deep-tissue stimulator that we are aware of that’s capable of stimulating almost all of the major therapeutic targets in the peripheral nervous system”, said Berkley researcher Rikky Muller. “This device represents our ...
Ultrasound pioneer to get Sir Frank Whittle medal
Ultrasound imaging pioneer Professor Peter Wells is to receive the Sir Frank Whittle medal from the Royal Academy of Engineering for his achievements in medical engineering over six decades. Wells, now research Professor in the School of Engineering at Cardiff University, worked on ultrasonic surgery and he developed a novel ultrasonic probe for the safe treatment of Meniere’s disease and showed that there was a ...