Abstract: A probe for measuring the viscoelastic properties of a medium of interest, the probe including a housing, a transducer array for emitting high-frequency ultrasonic waves and receiving acoustic echoes, at least one inertial vibration exciter including a fixed part mechanically integral with the transducer array, a mobile part capable of moving relative to the fixed part to produce vibrations in order to generate the low-frequency elastic wave, wherein the mobile part includes at least one permanent magnet, the at least one inertial vibration exciter including an additional inertial mass distributed around the permanent magnet.

Abstract: An apparatus for estimating a velocity of at least one scatterer in a medium, the apparatus including a curved array of virtual transducers (T1-Tn) for emitting Archimedean spiral waves in a plurality of predetermined directions of propagation defined by a set of insonification angles, and for receiving, from the at least one scatterer, scattered signals generated by scattering of the Archimedean spiral waves emitted from the curved array of virtual transducers, a driving and processing unit (Uc) for estimating the velocity of the at least one scatterer.