Abstract: An obstacle detection apparatus for vehicles includes: a first ultrasonic sensor for detecting a distance to an obstacle; a second ultrasonic sensor at a position of the vehicle for receiving a reflection wave from the obstacle of an ultrasonic wave from the first ultrasonic wave; a notifier that gives a notification of detecting the obstacle present within a preset distance in one or more of predetermined notification areas including a first notification area for the first ultrasonic sensor, and a second notification area for the second ultrasonic sensor detects the obstacle for the vehicle; and a controller that controls contents to be notified by the notifier. Furthermore, the controller determines whether a first indirect wave distance and a second indirect wave distance are used to determine whether to give the notification of detecting the obstacle in the first notification area.

Abstract: A transducer system with transducer and circuitry for applying a pulse train at a single frequency to excite the transducer. The transducer is operable to receive an echo waveform in response to the pulse train. The system also comprises circuitry for determining a time of flight as between a first reference time associated with the pulse train and a second reference time associated with the echo waveform.

Abstract: A transducer array for an ultrasound imaging system includes a substrate and a single array comprising individual sub-sets of transducer elements disposed on the substrate, wherein the individual sub-sets are physically separate from each other and spatially arranged contiguous to each other. An apparatus includes a transducer array with a substrate and a single array comprising individual sub-sets of transducer elements disposed on the substrate, wherein the individual sub-sets are not in physical contact with each other and are serially arranged with respect to each other. The apparatus further includes transmit circuitry that conveys an excitation pulse to the transducer array, receive circuitry that receives a signal indicative of an ultrasound echo from the transducer array, and a beamformer that processes the received signal, generating ultrasound image data.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for performing imaging with a crossed-electrode ultrasound transducer array, where ultrasound transducer array is configured for focusing in one direction via conventional time-delay phased array beamforming, and for focusing in a second direction via a Fresnel aperture formed via the application of bias voltages. The ultrasound transducer array connections are switched between transmit and receive operations, such that the Fresnel aperture is generated in the first direction upon transmit, and in the second direction upon receive. One or both of the transmit Fresnel aperture and the receive Fresnel aperture are configured as a set of delay-corrected Fresnel sub-apertures, where the delay associated with each Fresnel sub-aperture is selected to compensate for variations in path lengths between the Fresnel sub-apertures and the focal point.

Abstract: A hull-fitted electronic device (2) for a vessel is provided. The hull-fitted electronic device is adapted to be attached to a seat (10) having a through hole (11), the seat being attachable to a hull (20) of the vessel such that the through hole of the seat is aligned with a through hole (12) of the hull. The hull-fitted electronic device comprises a transducer (16) adapted to generate a signal to be transmitted into the water outside the hull, and a housing (14) encapsulating the transducer and having a lower portion (3) and a flange portion (4). The lower portion and at least the portion of the flange portion located closest to the lower portion are covered by a surface (5) of a material (17) being watertight and transparent to the signal generated by the transducer. A portion of the surface forms a window (13) of the housing arranged to transmit the signal of the transducer.

Abstract: A three-dimensional space detection system, including: a locating base station, a label device to be located, and a computing device. The locating base station synchronizes a base time point to the label device to be located, sends an ultrasonic signal to the label device to be located, rotationally sends a first laser plane signal about a first rotation axis, and rotationally sends a second laser plane signal about a second rotation axis perpendicular to the first rotation axis. The label device to be located synchronizes a base time point from the locating base station, detects the ultrasonic signal, the first laser plane signal and the second laser plane signal.

Abstract: An obstacle detection apparatus for vehicles includes: a first probe wave sensor detecting a direct wave distance as a distance to an obstacle by transmitting a probe wave and receiving a reflection wave of the probe wave reflected by the obstacle; a second probe wave sensor receiving the reflection wave to detect an indirect wave distance as a distance to the obstacle by receiving the reflection wave; an approach determinator determining whether the obstacle is present between the first probe wave sensor and the second probe wave sensor and whether the obstacle is approaching the vehicle; and a distance determinator determining an obstacle distance to be less than or equal to a predetermined distance range when the indirect wave distance falls out of the distance range as the obstacle is present between the first probe wave sensor and the second probe wave sensor and the obstacle is approaching the vehicle.

Abstract: A tracking system includes a first device and a second device. The first device includes plural ultrasonic sources and an inertial measurement unit configured to detect inertial data. The second device includes at least one ultrasonic receiver and a processor. The processor is configured to receive the inertial data, estimate an orientation of the first device according to the received inertial data, determine a first ultrasonic transmitter from the ultrasonic transmitters according to the orientation of the first device and a location of the first device, and send an enablement command about the first ultrasonic transmitter to the first device. The enabled transmitter of the ultrasonic transmitters sends ultrasounds according to the enablement command, the at least one ultrasonic receiver is configured to receive the ultrasounds from the first ultrasonic transmitter, and the processor determines the location of the first device according to the received ultrasounds.

Abstract: An ultrasonic type object detection apparatus sequentially detects a distance between an ultrasonic sensor and an object in a coverage of a transmission wave at a predetermined detection cycle based on a time taken for the ultrasonic sensor to transmit the transmission wave and then to receive a reflection wave. The apparatus includes: a storage storing the distance to the object; a vehicle information acquisition device acquiring vehicle information for calculating a movement distance; a detection distance predictor predicting a next detected distance to the object based on a past detection result and the vehicle information; and a short range determinator determining whether the object is present in a short range area in which the distance between the object and the ultrasonic sensor is equal to or shorter than a short range threshold.

Abstract: A portable electronic animal call device comprising a housing, a memory, a plurality of user inputs, a speaker, an amplifier, a power source, a status indicator, and a controller for controlling the electronic components. The housing encloses the electronic components and includes a plurality of sound openings near the speaker. The housing also includes a plurality of ridges and recesses for gripping the device. The memory stores animal sound files therein. The inputs include a power button, a plurality of animal sound selection buttons, and one or more volume inputs. The user holds or presses the power button to turn on and off the device and to resume and pause an animal sound. The user presses one of the animal sound selection buttons to select and play a desired animal sound. The status indicator communicates a power or animal sound status via LED light or similar alert.

Abstract: Methods of ultrasound imaging, some of which comprise: generating one or more transmit beams, wherein the boresight of each of the transmit beams points to a direction associated with a target region generating one or more receive beams using a probe (26) comprising a transducer array (30); for each receive beam or group of receive beams, sampling the received signal one or more times, wherein each sample is associated with a certain volume within the target region (“volume-gate”), and wherein multiple space-dependent samples are taken over the probe for each volume-gate; and processing the space-dependent samples, said processing comprising: applying beamforming sample alignment such that each space-dependent sample associated with a volume-gate is aligned; for each aligned volume-gate, computing one or more clutter suppression features, wherein a clutter suppression feature is dependent on the signal variability of the space-dependent samples; for each aligned volume-gate, computing a metric value wherein t

Abstract: A tracking system includes a first device and a second device. The second device comprises an optical module, an ultrasonic module and a processor. The optical module is configured to capture image data in a first detection field. The ultrasonic module is configured to collect ultrasonic data in a second detection field different from the first detection field. The processor is configured to determine a relative position of a target device relative to the tracking device in a third detection field according to the image data and the ultrasonic data. The third detection field is larger than the first detection field and larger than the second detection field.

Abstract: A transducer assembly comprises a housing and a plurality of frequency steered transducer array elements. Each of the transducer array elements includes a plurality of piezoelectric elements. The frequency steered transducer array elements are configured to receive a transmit electronic signal including a plurality of frequency components and to transmit an array of sonar beams into a body of water. Each sonar beam is transmitted in an angular direction that varies according to one of the frequency components of the transmit electronic signal. The frequency steered transducer array elements are positioned within the housing in a fan-shaped configuration where an end section of at least two of the frequency steered transducer array elements are within an intersection range of each other.

Abstract: A small aperture acoustic velocity sensor and a method for velocity measurement are disclosed. In one aspect, the disclosed technology uses spatially-shifted sub-arrays for projection and/or hydrophone receipt and cross-correlation of successive pulses to improve correlation and reduce bias. The spatial shift can be created physically by selection of groups of elements or virtually by weighting the contributions of fixed sub-arrays. Spatial modulation can be used to form a projected signal and measured spatial phase of slope across the set of sub-arrays allows correction of both long- and short-term errors. The disclosed technology uses spatial and/or temporal interpolation.

Abstract: A method of making a sensing unit for a sensing system of a vehicle includes providing a first housing portion, a second housing portion, and a transducer having a piezo element. The transducer is placed in the first housing portion at the closed transducer end of the first housing portion. A dampening ring is disposed in the first housing portion between the closed transducer end and the first open receiving end of the first housing portion. A compression ring is provided and disposed at least partially into the first open receiving end of the first housing portion with wires electrically connecting the piezo element to the pins of the compression ring in the first housing portion. A PCB is disposed in the second housing portion and electrically connected to terminals of a connector portion of the second housing portion. The first housing portion is attached to the second housing portion.

Abstract: An apparatus for imaging structural features below the surface of an object, the apparatus comprising: a transmitter unit configured to transmit a sound pulse at the object; a receiver unit configured to receive reflections of sound pulses transmitted by the transmitter unit from the object; a signal processing unit configured to: analyse one or more signals received by the receiver unit from the object; recognise, in the one or more signals, a reflection that was caused by a first structural feature and a reflection that was caused by a second structural feature that is located, in the object, at least partly behind the first structural feature; and associate each recognised reflection with a relative depth in the object at which the reflection occurred; and an image generation unit configured to generate an image that includes a representation of the first and second structural features in dependence on the recognised reflections and their relative depths.

Abstract: Techniques, systems, and devices are described for implementing for implementing computation devices and artificial neurons based on nanoelectromechanical (NEMS) systems. In one aspect, a nanoelectromechanical system (NEMS) based computing element includes: a substrate; two electrodes configured as a first beam structure and a second beam structure positioned in close proximity with each other without contact, wherein the first beam structure is fixed to the substrate and the second beam structure is attached to the substrate while being free to bend under electrostatic force. The first beam structure is kept at a constant voltage while the other voltage varies based on an input signal applied to the NEMS based computing element.

Abstract: Ultrasonic ranging state management for a UAV is described. A transducer transmits an ultrasonic signal and receives an ultrasonic response thereto using a gain value. A noise floor estimation mechanism determines a noise floor estimate. A state mechanism sets an ultrasonic ranging state used by the transducer to a first ultrasonic ranging state. The transducer transmits an ultrasonic signal and responsively receive an ultrasonic response to the ultrasonic signal using a gain value according to the noise floor estimate. The state mechanism processes the ultrasonic response to determine whether to determine a new noise floor estimate, adjust the gain value used by the transducer, or change the ultrasonic ranging state of the UAV to a second ultrasonic ranging state. The configurations of the first and second ultrasonic ranging states differ as to, for example, power and gain levels used by the transducer to receive ultrasonic responses.

Abstract: A sensor device includes an elongated housing containing particle motion sensors spaced apart along a longitudinal axis of the elongated housing, where the elongated housing has a width. A second portion includes communication circuitry to communicate over a communication medium, the second portion coupled to the elongated housing and having a width that is greater than the width of the elongated housing. The second portion includes an impact surface that is above a top surface of the second portion, the impact surface to receive an impact force for deploying the sensor device into a ground surface. The second portion further includes a connector structure to mechanically connect the impact surface to the elongated housing.

Abstract: A self-damping geophone, in some embodiments, comprises a housing containing a conductive coil and one or more springs; a first magnet suspended within said housing by the one or more springs, said conductive coil located within a magnetic field of the first magnet; and damping magnets disposed outside of said housing, each of the damping magnets oriented to repel a pole of the first magnet closest to that damping magnet.