Abstract: A means and method are provided for enhancing or replacing the natural excitation of the human vocal tract by artificial excitation means, wherein the artificially created acoustics present additional spectral, temporal, or phase data useful for (1) enhancing the machine recognition robustness of audible speech or (2) enabling more robust machine-recognition of relatively inaudible mouthed or whispered speech. The artificial excitation (a) may be arranged to be audible or inaudible, (b) may be designed to be non-interfering with another user's similar means, (c) may be used in one or both of a vocal content-enhancement mode or a complimentary vocal tract-probing mode, and/or (d) may be used for the recognition of audible or inaudible continuous speech or isolated spoken commands.

Abstract: An ultrasonic imaging system includes an ultrasonic transducer having an image data array and a tracking array at each end of the image data array. The tracking arrays are oriented transversely to the image data array. Images from the image data array are used to reconstruct a three-dimensional representation of the target. The relative movement between respective frames of the image data is automatically estimated by a motion estimator, based on frames of data from the tracking arrays. As the transducer is rotated about the azimuthal axis of the image data array, features of the target remain within the image planes of the tracking arrays. Movements of these features in the image planes of the tracking arrays are used to estimate motion as required for the three-dimensional reconstruction. Similar techniques estimate motion within the plane of an image to create an extended field of view.

Abstract: Spiral, sparse spiral, substantially spiral or substantially sparse spiral transducer arrays comprising capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer elements disposed on a silicon substrate, and ultrasound imaging systems employing same. The transducer elements are respectively coupled to a plurality of amplifiers. Imager electronics are coupled to each of the amplifiers and drives the transducer elements and/or generates an output of the spiral transducer array. The amplifiers may be located in the silicon substrate containing the transducer elements, or on a separate substrate that is interconnected to the substrate containing the transducer elements using bumps, for example. Electrical interconnection to the transducer elements may readily be achieved without interfering with the acoustic output of the transducer elements.

Abstract: A plurality of piezomaterial bodies, such as panels or slices, are merged together to form a larger piezomaterial body. For example, a 0.75×22 cm polycrystalline piezomaterial body is formed, where the distances are along lateral or footprint dimensions. The thickness of the piezomaterial body is substantially less than either of the distances along first and second lateral dimensions that define the footprint. Preferably, each piezomaterial body has a panel shape, and a plurality of panels are merged to form a large multi-panel.

Abstract: An ultrasonic imaging system includes an ultrasonic transducer having an image data array and a tracking array at each end of the image data array. The tracking arrays are oriented transversely to the image data array. Images from the image data array are used to reconstruct a three-dimensional representation of the target. The relative movement between respective frames of the image data is automatically estimated by a motion estimator, based on frames of data from the tracking arrays. As the transducer is rotated about the azimuthal axis of the image data array, features of the target remain within the image planes of the tracking arrays. Movements of these features in the image planes of the tracking arrays are used to estimate motion as required for the three-dimensional reconstruction. Similar techniques estimate motion within the plane of an image to create an extended field of view.

Abstract: An ultrasonic imaging system includes an ultrasonic transducer having an image data array and a tracking array at each end of the image data array. The tracking arrays are oriented transversely to the image data array. Images from the image data array are used to reconstruct a three-dimensional representation of the target. The relative movement between respective frames of the image data is automatically estimated by a motion estimator, based on frames of data from the tracking arrays. As the transducer is rotated about the azimuthal axis of the image data array, features of the target remain within the image planes of the tracking arrays. Movements of these features in the image planes of the tracking arrays are used to estimate motion as required for the three-dimensional reconstruction. Similar techniques estimate motion within the plane of an image to create an extended field of view.

Abstract: An ultrasonic imaging system includes an ultrasonic transducer having an image data array and a tracking array at each end of the image data array. The tracking arrays are oriented transversely to the image data array. Images from the image data array are used to reconstruct a three-dimensional representation of the target. The relative movement between respective frames of the image data is automatically estimated by a motion estimator, based on frames of data from the tracking arrays. As the transducer is rotated about the azimuthal axis of the image data array, features of the target remain within the image planes of the tracking arrays. Movements of these features in the image planes of the tracking arrays are used to estimate motion as required for the three-dimensional reconstruction. Similar techniques estimate motion within the plane of an image to create an extended field of view.

Abstract: An ultrasonic imaging system includes an ultrasonic transducer having an image data array and a tracking array at each end of the image data array. The tracking arrays are oriented transversely to the image data array. Images from the image data array are used to reconstruct a three-dimensional representation of the target. The relative movement between respective frames of the image data is automatically estimated by a motion estimator, based on frames of data from the tracking arrays. As the transducer is rotated about the azimuthal axis of the image data array, features of the target remain within the image planes of the tracking arrays. Movements of these features in the image planes of the tracking arrays are used to estimate motion as required for the three-dimensional reconstruction. Similar techniques estimate motion within the plane of an image to create an extended field of view.

Abstract: An ultrasonic imaging system includes an ultrasonic transducer having an image data array and a tracking array at each end of the image data array. The tracking arrays are oriented transversely to the image data array. Images from the image data array are used to reconstruct a three-dimensional representation of the target. The relative movement between respective frames of the image data is automatically estimated by a motion estimator, based on frames of data from the tracking arrays. As the transducer is rotated about the azimuthal axis of the image data array, features of the target remain within the image planes of the tracking arrays. Movements of these features in the image planes of the tracking arrays are used to estimate motion as required for the three-dimensional reconstruction. Similar techniques estimate motion within the plane of an image to create an extended field of view.

Abstract: A method and system for coherent ultrasound imaging of induced, distributed source, bulk acoustic emissions. First, bulk acoustic emissions are induced from distributed sources within an object from a single transmit event of non-acoustic energy. Next, coherent signals are stored for each of a selected number of transducer elements of a transducer array receiving the induced bulk acoustic emissions. The stored coherent signals can then be focused to form an ultrasound image. Additionally, motion of an imaged object can be detected using induced, distributed source, bulk acoustic emissions.

Abstract: According to the present invention, an ultrasonic probe for use with a remote ultrasonic imaging system is provided, having a multielement transducer with an upper surface and a lower surface. An ultrasonically attenuative backing material adjoins the lower surface of the multielement transducer. The attenuative backing material is disposed within a container. A circular track is mounted to the container, and a flexible assembly and a carrier band are attached to the container. The carrier band may be operable to rotate the multielement transducer about an axis defined by the circular track. Alternatively, the circular track may be operable to rotate the multielement transducer. Additionally, a method of forming near real-time images of an object in a plane that is oblique to the axis of rotation of the multielement transducer is provided.

Abstract: The invention disclosed relates to a novel method of mapping and presenting fluid pressure information within a living body utilizing changes in acoustic behavior of microbubbles situated in a bodily fluid such as blood. Differences in the returned acoustic spectra from the microbubbles are related by an algorithm to fluid pressure which is colorized and presented in a manner similar to Doppler imaging. In a further aspect of the invention, the work output of an organ such as the heart may computed from the blood pressure information in association with flow information obtained through Doppler related imaging, which then, is presented in a colorized fashion. In a still further aspect, an improved method of assessing the health of tissue is disclosed utilizing changes in the acoustic spectra of microbubbles infused in the tissue in response to palpitation.

Abstract: According to the present invention, an ultrasonic imaging system having a remote ultrasound console and a probe connected thereto for inspecting an interior region of a body is provided. The ultrasonic imaging system includes a scanhead housing disposed at a distal end of the probe. A transducer is mounted upon a support structure within the scanhead housing and is electrically connected to the ultrasonic imaging system. The present invention also includes a magnetic position sensor located within the scanhead housing and coupled to the ultrasonic imaging system. The magnetic sensor may be attached to the support structure. In addition, the present invention may include a piezomotor mounted within an ultrasound probe, the piezomotor being mechanically coupled to an acoustic device within the probe.

Abstract: An ultrasound transducer assembly having a housing, a transducer array mounted in the housing, and active cooling mechanism positioned adjacent to the transducer array for actively removing heat generated by the array by transport of heat energy from the affected site. The active cooling mechanism may comprise a heat exchanger including a closed loop circulating coolant system circulating coolant, or a single-pass flowed coolant, passing through the heat exchanger, a heat pipe, a thermoelectric cooler, an evaporative/condenser system, and/or a phase change material. One or more heat exchangers may be used having gas or liquid coolants flowing therethrough. The heat exchangers and coolant pumps may be located in various components of the transducer assembly, including the array housing, the connector assemblies or the ultrasound console.

Abstract: According to the present invention, an ultrasonic probe for use with a remote ultrasonic imaging system is provided, having a multielement transducer with an upper surface and a lower surface. An ultrasonically attenuative backing material adjoins the lower surface of the multielement transducer. The attenuative backing material is disposed within a container. A circular track is mounted to the container, and a flexible assembly and a carrier band are attached to the container. The carrier band may be operable to rotate the multielement transducer about an axis defined by the circular track. Alternatively, the circular track may be operable to rotate the multielement transducer. Additionally, a method of forming near real-time images of an object in a plane that is oblique to the axis of rotation of the multielement transducer is provided.

Abstract: A memory device whose media scanning is vibrationally (cyclic harmonic vibration) or inertially (one-time pulsed read/write) driven is provided, comprising a plurality of cantilevers (7, 7', 7"), attached at one end and capable of vibrating. On the opposite end of each cantilever is disposed an array of storage bits (26). Opposite the surface of each cantilever having such a bit array is a read/write head (27) which is similar in nature to a scanning tunneling microscopy or atomic force microscopy scanning-tip. Electronic support circuitry is provided to implement the memory device of the invention. Such circuitry includes a microprocessor (67), a multiplexer/demultiplexer (70), a group of circuits (66) comprising power supplies, sensing circuits and digital/analog and analog/digital conversion circuits, and switching means (65) to permit all of the previous functions to be properly addressed to/from the correct bit/array(s) and mating subdevice(s).

Abstract: An ultrasound transducer comprising an array of individual piezoelectric transducer elements mounted upon an improved backing comprising rigid polymeric or polymer-coated particles fused into a macroscopically rigid structure having remnant tortuous permeability to provide high acoustic attenuation and to permit fluid passage into the backing structure during fabrication.

Abstract: A method is described for making a piezoelectric composite for building an acoustic transducer from two or more pieces of piezoelectric material. Each piece of material is cut to form slots or trenches having a uniform pitch spacing and material portions of uniform width such that the material portions of one piece may be received within the slots or trenches of the other. The pieces are then interdigitated and joined to make the piezoelectric composite.

Abstract: A memory device whose media scanning is vibrationally (cyclic harmonic vibration) or inertially (one-time pulsed read/write) driven is provided, comprising a plurality of cantilevers (7, 7', 7"), attached at one end and capable of vibrating. On the opposite end of each cantilever is disposed an array of storage bits (26). Opposite the surface of each cantilever having such a bit array is a read/-write head (27) which is similar in nature to a scanning tunneling microscopy or atomic force microscopy scanning-tip. Electronic support circuitry is provided to implement the memory device of the invention. Such circuitry includes a microprocessor (67), a multiplexer/demultiplexer (70), a group of circuits (66) comprising power supplies, sensing circuits and digital/analog and analog/digital conversion circuits,and switching means (65) to permit all of the previous functions to be properly addressed to/from the correct bit/array(s) and mating subdevice(s).

Abstract: Before spin-on-glass (SOG) is applied and soft-cured over metal traces (10) having a height/width aspect ratio (of the spaces) of at least 1, the aluminum metal traces are selectively coated with selective tungsten (16). After SOG (18) is spun on and soft-cured, it is etched back to expose the metal interconnects. A selective tungsten wet etch in H.sub.2 O.sub.2 detaches the SOG from the metal walls, leaving silt-like voids (20). Stress-free SOG hard curing may now proceed. A capping layer (22) of SOG may now be applied, soft-cured, then hard-cured. Alternatively, other dielectric materials may be applied as the capping layer. Further, interfacial lateral sidewall voids (24) may be deliberately left unfilled, by employing a capping layer (22') of vapor-deposited oxide. The unfilled voids have a dielectric constant of 1.0, which is useful in extremely high speed devices.