Abstract: An adaptive multidimensional beamformer having near-instantaneous convergence for ultrasound imaging systems deploying multidimensional sensor arrays is disclosed. In a first step, the multidimensional beamformer is decomposed into sub-apertures. Each sub-aperture is then again decomposed into two coherent subsets of circular and/or line array beamformers in different coordinate directions of the multidimensional array. Implementation of the multidimensional beamformer according to the present invention provides the basis for a 3D ultrasound imaging system according to the present invention comprising a compact multidimensional sensor array and a compact processing unit that is field deployable and generates high resolution three-dimensional images in real time. It is also possible to capture four-dimensional images, the fourth dimension being time and the resulting images forming a video image of a volume of a moving organ.

Abstract: A method and a device for measuring systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate in an environment comprising extreme levels of noise and vibrations is disclosed. Blood pressure signals corresponding to the Korotkoff sounds are detected using a first acoustic sensor, or array of sensors, placed on the patient's skin over the brachial artery. A second acoustic transducer is placed on the outside of a pressure cuff the patient away for detecting noise and vibrations. Pressure is applied to the artery using the pressure cuff forcing the artery to close. The pressure is then reduced and while reducing the pressure the acoustic signals detected by the first and second acoustic sensor as well as a signal indicative of the pressure applied to the artery are provided to a processor. The signal of the first acoustic sensor is then processed using an adaptive interferer canceller algorithm with the signal of the second acoustic sensor as interferer.

Abstract: A microwave thermography apparatus to measure temperatures within a dielectric body comprises a partial ellipsoidal cavity with an electrical conductive surface wherein the body can be located at one focus of the cavity. A microwave antenna located at a second focus of the cavity is connected to a radiometer. That radiometer amplifies and filters signals from the antenna before they are applied to a detector with the temperature of the body being determined from the voltage amplitude of the detected signals.

Abstract: A method of tracking organ motion and removing motion artifacts in conventional computer tomography scans is disclosed. Sensor time series indicative of projection measurement data of the object are correlated using a software spatial overlap correlator method in order to obtain a sinogram indicative of organ motion. The software spatial overlap correlator method is based on the fact that the image sampling process of a computer tomography scanner is periodical, therefore, image samples taken at a time t and at a time t+T are taken from identical spatial locations. The sinogram is then processed using a retrospective gating method or a coherent sinogram synthesis method in order to correct the image data for motion effects. This method for motion correction is software based and, therefore, can be easily implemented in existing computer tomography systems without major hardware modification.

Abstract: A method of tracking organ motion and removing motion artifacts in X-ray computer tomography scans is disclosed. An object is irradiated by two sources such that the object is irradiated from a same location at two different time instances. Projection measurement data are detected by a receiving sensor array. The projection measurement data of the object irradiated from the same location at the two different time instances are correlated using a spatial overlap correlator method in order to obtain data indicative of organ motion. The projection measurement data and the data indicative of organ motion are then processed using an adaptive processing method to remove artifacts due to organ motion.

Abstract: A means for extending the useful aperture of a multi-hydrophone towed array by using the overlap of the successive positions of the array hydrophones as the array moves forward through the water. The overlap information is used by an overlap correlator to provide phase correction factors for a synthetic aperture signal processing scheme. The overlap correlator continues to refine the correction factors using later in time hydrophone measurement data.