Abstract: Various approaches for heating a target region substantially uniformly include identifying one or more locations of one or more hot spots in the target region and/or surrounding regions of the target region during an ultrasound sonication process; computing a temporal variation to an output parameter of at least one of the transducer elements based at least in part on the identified location(s) of the hot spot(s); and operating the at least one transducer element to achieve the temporal variation of the output parameter so as to minimize the hot spot(s).

Abstract: Various approaches for delivering ultrasound energy to a target region during a therapeutic or diagnostic procedure includes implementing an adjustment mechanism having a machine-learning model that has been trained, based on input vectors corresponding to a difference and/or a ratio of parameter values between multiple transducer elements, to generate, for each of the transducer elements, one or more parameter value to compensate for expected beam aberration resulting for an intervening tissue; and activating the transducer elements in accordance with the corresponding parameter values so as to generate an optimized focal zone at the target region during the therapeutic or diagnostic procedure.

Abstract: Various approaches for computationally characterizing tissue in an anatomic target region include generating multiple sonications to transient acoustic reflectors at or proximate to the target region; measuring reflection signals of the sonications off the transient acoustic reflectors; based on the measurements, identifying the reflection signals originating from single transient acoustic reflectors; and based at least in part on the identified reflection signals, generating a digital map including a tissue characteristic.

Abstract: Various approaches to delivering ultrasound energy to a target region include, prior to delivery of the ultrasound energy, populating a data structure relating multiple real-time parameter values to corresponding correction values for one or more ultrasound parameter values associated with one or more transducer elements for generating a focal zone of acoustic energy in at least the first portion of the target region; and during the treatment, (i) predicting or causing measurement of at least one of the real-time parameter values in the second portion of the target region or the non-target region; (ii) based at least in part on the predicted or measured real-time parameter value(s) and contents of the data structure, determine the correction value(s) for the ultrasound parameter value(s); and (iii) activate the transducer element(s) based at least in part on the determined correction value(s) for the ultrasound parameter value(s) so as to generate the focal zone in the second portion of the target region.

Abstract: Various approaches for computationally generating a protocol for treatment of one or more target BBB regions within a tissue region of interest using a source of focused ultrasound include specifying (i) settings of sonication parameters for applying one or more sequence of sonications to the target BBB region using the source of focused ultrasound and (ii) a characteristic of microbubbles selected to be administered into the target BBB region; electronically simulating treatment in accordance with the protocol at least in part by computationally executing the sequence(s) of sonications and computationally administering the microbubbles having the characteristic; and computationally predicting a tissue disruption effect of the target BBB region resulting from the treatment.

Abstract: Conformal ultrasound transducer arrangements and supporting registration systems and methods enable automated mapping of transducer elements to the internal anatomy of a patient. Once established, the mapping remains valid despite patient movements, and can be used to select transducer elements and their relative phases so as to create a high-energy focus at an internal target of interest without damage to intervening non-target tissue.

Abstract: Various approaches to delivering ultrasound energy to a target region include, prior to delivery of the ultrasound energy, populating a data structure relating multiple real-time parameter values to corresponding correction values for one or more ultrasound parameter values associated with one or more transducer elements for generating a focal zone of acoustic energy in at least the first portion of the target region; and during the treatment, (i) predicting or causing measurement of at least one of the real-time parameter values in the second portion of the target region or the non-target region; (ii) based at least in part on the predicted or measured real-time parameter value(s) and contents of the data structure, determine the correction value(s) for the ultrasound parameter value(s); and (iii) activate the transducer element(s) based at least in part on the determined correction value(s) for the ultrasound parameter value(s) so as to generate the focal zone in the second portion of the target region.

Abstract: The disclosure provides technologies that permit detection and/or characterization of brain biomarkers (e.g., disease-associated biomarkers) in non-CNS samples, including by liquid biopsy (e.g., blood, serum, etc.). Among other things, the present disclosure demonstrates that ultrasound opening of the blood brain barrier can achieve detectable increases in brain-derived materials (e.g., brain-derived proteins, neuron-derived extracellular vesicles, and/or cell-free DNA) in readily-sampled systemic liquids.

Abstract: The disclosure relates, in part, to targeted drug delivery using an ultrasound procedure and, more particularly, to systems and methods for the measurement of levels of drug delivery and certain aspects of metabolism, such as drug metabolism, in the brain tissue.

Abstract: Various approaches for computationally characterizing tissue in an anatomic target region include generating multiple sonications to transient acoustic reflectors at or proximate to the target region; measuring reflection signals of the sonications off the transient acoustic reflectors; based on the measurements, identifying the reflection signals originating from single transient acoustic reflectors; and based at least in part on the identified reflection signals, generating a digital map including a tissue characteristic.

Abstract: A system and method for connected vehicle cybersecurity. A method includes creating, by a remote system, a normal behavior model based on a first set of data including at least one first event with respect to connected vehicles, wherein the first set of data is collected from data sources, wherein the remote system is remote from the fleet of connected vehicles; detecting, by the remote system, an anomaly based on the normal behavior model and a second set of data, the second set of data including a second event with respect to the connected vehicles, wherein each of the first set of data and the second set of data includes vehicle data related to operation of the connected vehicles, wherein each event represents a communication with the connected vehicles; determining, based on the detected anomaly, at least one mitigation action; and causing implementation of the at least one mitigation action.

Abstract: A system and method for connected vehicle security incident integration. The method includes correlating a security incident violation with a connected vehicle, wherein the security incident violation is indicated in security incident data collected by at least one connected vehicle security system of the connected vehicle, wherein the security incident violation indicates a deviation from normal operation of the connected vehicle; enriching security incident data of a connected vehicle with cybersecurity data related to at least one of: the connected vehicle, and communications between the connected vehicle and at least one external system; generating a risk assessment for the connected vehicle based on the enriched violation data; and performing at least one mitigation action with respect to the connected vehicle based on the risk assessment.

Abstract: Systems and methods for treating target tissue include generating a priming sequence of sonication pulses for delivering acoustic energy to the target tissue; pausing generation of the sonication pulses for a delay interval; and generating a series of treatment sequences of sonication pulses for delivering acoustic energy to the target tissue, the treatment sequences having sonication intervals therebetween and the delay interval being larger than the largest sonication interval by a predetermined factor.

Abstract: Sonodynamic therapy systems and methods use short, high-pressure ultrasound pulses that produce small (and therefore clinically safe) increases (up to 1-2° C.) in tissue temperature but nonetheless activate sonodynamic agents, allowing isolated single-cav-itation events to produce therapeutically beneficial effects (e.g., cytotoxicity) on diseased tissue. An escalating sonication strategy may be employed whereby the focal pressure is gradually increased until maximum clinically tolerable parameters such as the degree of heating of intervening tissue (e.g., the skull when treating brain cancer) or undesired induced cavitation effects are reached.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for initializing an ultrasound procedure for a target region. The method includes determining a distribution of vessel diameters of vasculature in a target region. The method also includes providing, at the target region, microbubbles having a size distribution related to the distribution of vessel diameters.

Abstract: A system and method for connected vehicle risk detection are presented. The includes computing risk scores for a plurality of behaviors detected with respect to a connected vehicle, wherein each of the detected plurality of behaviors is associated with the connected vehicle based on a contextual vehicle state of the connected vehicle; aggregating the computed risk scores to determine an aggregated risk score; determining a risk level for the connected vehicle based on the aggregated risk score; and causing execution of at least one mitigation action based on the determined risk level.

Abstract: In an ultrasound system, echo focusing is performed to align ultrasound pulse peaks, establishing the phase delay required for each ultrasound transducer element, and the temporal displacements among pulses are determined using, for example, time-of-flight (ToF) measurements. The combined approach aligns the phases and the envelopes of pulses delivered by the active transducer elements that contribute energy during treatment. Moreover, it permits long pulses to be used for phase alignment in the preparatory stage and perfectly aligned short pulses in the sonication stage.

Abstract: Various approaches for microbubble-enhanced ultrasound treatment of target tissue include retrieving a treatment plan stored in memory; causing administration of an exogenous agent in accordance with the treatment plan; causing, in accordance with the treatment plan, an ultrasound transducer to transmit ultrasound waves to the target tissue and generate a focus therein in the presence of administered exogenous agent; receiving, from a monitoring system, a measured parameter value indicating a treatment condition in response to administration of the exogenous agent and transmission of the ultrasound waves during treatment; and adjusting the treatment plan based at least in part on the measured parameter value.

Abstract: Various approaches for microbubble-enhanced ultrasound treatment of target tissue include retrieving a treatment plan stored in memory; causing administration of an exogenous agent in accordance with the treatment plan; causing, in accordance with the treatment plan, an ultrasound transducer to transmit ultrasound waves to the target tissue and generate a focus therein in the presence of administered exogenous agent; receiving, from a monitoring system, a measured parameter value indicating a treatment condition in response to administration of the exogenous agent and transmission of the ultrasound waves during treatment; and adjusting the treatment plan based at least in part on the measured parameter value.

Abstract: Various approaches of focusing an ultrasound transducer having multiple transducer elements to a target region include generating at least one acoustic reflector in the target region; transmitting ultrasound waves to the acoustic reflector; measuring reflections off the acoustic reflector; and based at least in part on the measured reflections, adjusting the parameter value associated with the transducer element(s).