Abstract: A system for visualization and quantification of ultrasound imaging data according to embodiments of the present disclosure may include a display unit, and a processor communicatively coupled to the display unit and to an ultrasound imaging apparatus for generating an image from ultrasound data representative of a bodily structure and fluid flowing within the bodily structure. The processor may be configured to estimate axial and lateral velocity components of the fluid flowing within the bodily structure, determine a plurality of flow directions within the image based on the axial and lateral velocity components, differentially encode the flow directions based on flow direction angle to generate a flow direction map, and cause the display unit to concurrently display the image including the bodily structure overlaid with the flow direction map.

Abstract: To automatically evaluate the reasonable price of real estate according to the housing data, the present invention discloses a novel intelligent property evaluation system. The system includes the following components: a housing data input system, a pre-processing filter, a feature extractor, a housing price trainer, and a housing price predictor, wherein the housing price predictor further includes a regression model generator and a decision integrator. The pre-processing filter is used to filter unreasonable samples from housing data and integrate synonymous features. The feature extractor is used to choose required variables of housing price model. The housing price trainer generates housing price model which is trained by a great amount of housing data. The housing price predictor then generates a prediction by the trained model. Furthermore, to maintain the accuracy of prediction under the social evolution, the housing price predictor could be regularly or irregularly updated by a rolling-based method.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an imaging probe and is configured for dynamically arranging presentation of visual feedback for guiding manual adjustment, via the probe, of a location, and orientation, associated with the probe. The arranging is selectively based on comparisons between fields of view of the probe and respective results of segmenting image data acquired via the probe. In an embodiment, the apparatus includes a sensor which guides a decision that acoustic coupling quality is insufficient, the apparatus issuing a user alert upon the decision.

Abstract: Systems and methods for suppressing off-axis sidelobes and/or clutter, near-field reverberation clutter, and/or grating lobe contributions are disclosed. A dual apodization with median (DAM) filtering technique is disclosed. The dual apodization technique may include summing aligned channel data with apodization functions (406, 412, 414) with complementary apertures applied. Median values for a zero function (RF3) and the resulting signals (RF1, RF2) from the complementary apertures are determined to generate a median value signal (416, MVS). The median value signal is used to generate an ultrasound image with enhanced image contrast. A method of image smoothing of the ultrasound image with enhanced image contrast is also disclosed. The smoothed image may include low frequency components of the ultrasound image with enhanced image contrast and high frequency components of an original image.

Abstract: In a described example, an apparatus includes: a package substrate having a die mount portion and lead portions spaced from the die mount portion; a semiconductor die over the die mount portion having bond pads on an active surface facing away from the package substrate; non-gold bond wires forming electrical connections between at least one of the bond pads and one of the lead portions of the package substrate; a bond stitch on bump connection formed between one of the non-gold bond wires and a bond pad of the semiconductor die, comprising a stitch bond formed on a flex stud bump; and dielectric material covering a portion of the package substrate, the semiconductor die, the non-gold bond wires, the stitch bond and the flex stud bump, forming a packaged semiconductor device.

Abstract: An imaging steering apparatus includes sensors and an imaging processor configured for: acquiring, via multiple ones of the sensors and from a current position (322), and current orientation (324), an image of an object of interest; based on a model, segmenting the acquired image; and determining, based on a result of the segmenting, a target position (318), and target orientation (320), with the target position and/or target orientation differing correspondingly from the current position and/or current orientation. An electronic steering parameter effective toward improving the current field of view may be computed, and a user may be provided instructional feedback (144) in navigating an imaging probe toward the improving. A robot can be configured for, automatically and without need for user intervention, imparting force (142) to the probe to move it responsive to the determination.

Abstract: A system for visualization and quantification of ultrasound imaging data according to embodiments of the present disclosure may include a display unit, and a processor communicatively coupled to the display unit and to an ultrasound imaging apparatus for generating an image from ultrasound data representative of a bodily structure and fluid flowing within the bodily structure. The processor may be configured to estimate axial and lateral velocity components of the fluid flowing within the bodily structure, determine a plurality of flow directions within the image based on the axial and lateral velocity components, differentially encode the flow directions based on flow direction angle to generate a flow direction map, and cause the display unit to concurrently display the image including the bodily structure overlaid with the flow direction map.

Abstract: Systems and methods for calculating hepato-renal index (HRI) values from radiofrequency (RF) data are disclosed herein. The RF data may include fundamental frequency components, harmonic frequency components, or a combination thereof. Signal intensities within regions of interest may be calculated from the RF data. The signal intensities may be averaged to arrive at an average signal intensity value for each region of interest. In some examples, some of the highest and/or lowest signal intensity values may be removed prior to averaging. The ratio of the average signal intensities from the different regions of interest may be then be taken to arrive at the HRI values.

Abstract: The invention provides methods and systems for generating an ultrasound image. In a method, the generation of an ultrasound image comprises: obtaining channel data, the channel data defining a set of imaged points; for each imaged point: isolating the channel data; performing a spatial spectral estimation on the isolated channel data; and selectively attenuating the spatial spectral estimation channel data, thereby generating filtered channel data; and summing the filtered channel data, thereby forming a filtered ultrasound image. In some examples, the method comprises aperture extrapolation. The aperture extrapolation improves the lateral resolution of the ultrasound image. In other examples, the method comprises transmit extrapolation. The transmit extrapolation improves the contrast of the image. In addition, the transmit extrapolation improves the frame rate and reduces the motion artifacts in the ultrasound image. In further examples, the aperture and transmit extrapolations may be combined.

Abstract: Ultrasound apparatus and methods of processing signals are described. The ultrasound apparatus may include multiple channels. In some embodiments, signal processing techniques are described, which in some embodiments are performed on a per-channel basis. The signal processing techniques may involve using down-conversion and filtering of signals on multiple channels. The down-conversion and filtering may be done prior to beamforming.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices that perform flow scan sequences are provided. In one embodiment, an ultrasound imaging system includes an intraluminal catheter or guidewire, an annular array of acoustic elements positioned around a circumference of the catheter or guidewire, and a processor in communication with the annular array. The processor is configured to activate a first subaperture of the annular array at a first time, thereafter, activate a second interleaving subaperture, and activate the first subaperture again at a different, second time such that the scan sequence moves around the circumference of the catheter or guidewire. Temporal differences between the received ultrasound signals obtained by the first subaperture at the first and second times are determined to detect motion around the annular array. By interleaving subaperture firings, the total number of firings to form an image frame can be reduced.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to solutions of detecting and classifying wafer defects using machine learning techniques. The solutions take only one coarse resolution digital microscope image of a target wafer, and use machine learning techniques to process the coarse SEM image to review and classify a defect on the target wafer. Because only one coarse SEM image of the wafer is needed, the defect review and classification throughput and efficiency are improved. Further, the techniques are not distractive and may be integrated with other defect detecting and classification techniques.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a bond wire with a first end bonded by a ball bond to a planar side of a first conductive plate, and a second end bonded by a stitch bond to a conductive stud bump at an angle greater than or equal to 60 degrees. A wirebonding method includes bonding the first end of the conductive bond wire to the first conductive plate includes forming a ball bond to join the first end of the conductive bond wire to a planar side of the first conductive plate by a ball bond, and bonding the second end of the conductive bond wire to the conductive stud bump includes forming a stitch bond to join the second end of the conductive bond wire to the conductive stud bump.

Abstract: An endoscope includes a control module, a lens module, a cover, and an encapsulation. The lens module is electrically connected to the control module. The cover has a transparent area, and the cover covers the lens module in a sealing manner. The encapsulation encapsulates the cover and the control module, and exposes the transparent area, such that the encapsulation serves as a shell of the endoscope.

Abstract: An ultrasound system produces maps of acoustic attenuation coefficients from B mode image signals. A plurality of maps located in different parallel and elevationally separated planes (A, B, C, D, E) are produced, then compounded in the elevation direction. Confidence maps may also be produced for one or more attenuation coefficient maps, and the confidence map displayed or its measures used to determine weighting for the compounding process. The compounding of elevationally separate planes improves attenuation coefficient estimation in the presence of blood vessels affecting the estimates in one or more of the planes.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for generating a filtered ultrasound image. The method begins by obtaining channel data. First and second apodization functions are applied to the channel data to generate first (610) and second (620) image data, respectively. A minimization function is then applied to the first (610) and second (620) image data, which may then be used to generate third (630) image data. The filtered ultrasound image may then be generated based on the first (610) and third (630) image data.

Abstract: An ultrasonic imaging system acquires frames of echo data at a high acquisition frame rate using a single mode of acquisition. The echo data is used by three image processors to produce an anatomical image, a mechanical function image, and a hemodynamic image from the same echo data. A display displays an anatomical image, a mechanical function image, and a hemodynamic image simultaneously.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to solutions of detecting and classifying wafer defects using machine learning techniques. The solutions take only one coarse resolution digital microscope image of a target wafer, and use machine learning techniques to process the coarse SEM image to review and classify a defect on the target wafer. Because only one coarse SEM image of the wafer is needed, the defect review and classification throughput and efficiency are improved. Further, the techniques are not distractive and may be integrated with other defect detecting and classification techniques.

Abstract: Systems and methods for reducing speckle while maintaining frame rate are disclosed. Multiple sub-images associated with different receive angles are acquired for a single transmit/receive event at an observation angle. The sub-images are compounded to generate a final image with reduced speckle. In some examples, multiple sub-images from multiple transmit/receive events are compounded to generate the final image. The observation angle and/or the receive angles may vary between transmit/receive events in some examples.

Abstract: A system according to the present disclosure may include a display unit, a processor communicatively coupled to the display unit and to an ultrasound imaging apparatus for generating an image from ultrasound data representative of a bodily structure and fluid flowing within the bodily structure. The processor may be configured to generate vector field data including axial and lateral (or transverse) velocity components of the fluid flowing within the bodily structure, calculate velocity profiles for a plurality of locations along a wall of the bodily structure based on the axial and lateral velocity components, generate wall shear stress (WSS) visualization data based, at least in part, on the velocity profiles, and cause the display unit to concurrently display the image including the bodily structure overlaid with the WSS visualization data.