Abstract: Embodiments provide systems and methods for utilizing acoustic sensors to detect defects via online or in situ monitoring of additive manufacturing (AM) processes. Sensors may capture acoustic waves associated with AM manufacturing operations. The acoustic emissions in combination with other sensing data, such as cameras or thermometers, may be used to characterize the state of the AM process, such as to detect a defect has occurred or confirm a defect has not occurred. When defects are detected, the AM process may be stopped to prevent further processing of a defective part. When defects are predicted as likely to occur, operational parameters of the AM device or process may be adjusted to mitigate the occurrence of a defect. The techniques disclosed herein enable detection of defects that occur underneath the surface of the part being manufactured, as well as correct issues with the AM device or process before a defect occurs.

Abstract: A detection device for an least semiautomated detection of multiple object data sets of at least one object is described. The detection devices includes a movement device for generating a defined relative movement between at least one object data detection unit and the at least one object.

Abstract: An ultrasound system produces maps of acoustic attenuation coefficients from pulse echo signals. Maps are produced using different attenuation coefficient or slope estimation methods, and a plurality of maps from different estimation methods are compounded to produce a final attenuation coefficient map. 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.

Abstract: Employed is an information acquisition apparatus which acquires characteristic information about an object using a reception signal of acoustic waves generated by the object that is irradiated with light, the apparatus having: region acquisition unit for acquiring information indicating a plurality of regions of mutually different characteristics, in the object; sound velocity determination unit for determining sound velocity in the plurality of regions, using the information indicating the plurality of regions; and characteristic information acquisition unit for acquiring the characteristic information about the object, using the sound velocity and the reception signal.

Abstract: Drug delivery devices are provided in which much of a drug payload within the device remains within an area proximal to a wall of the device through which the drug must pass for release of the drug from the device into a patient. In one case, the device may include a drug reservoir portion which has a drug reservoir lumen bounded by a reservoir wall having an inner surface; a drug located in the drug reservoir lumen; and a core region which does not comprise the drug, wherein the drug is disposed between the inner surface of the reservoir wall and the core region. The device may be elastically deformable between a first shape suited for insertion through a lumen into a body cavity of the patient and a second shape suited to retain the device within the body cavity.

Abstract: System and method configured to characterize viscoelasticity of a target medium by directly determining phase difference between real and imaginary parts of the complex shear modulus of the tissue (determined as a result of applying a compression force to the tissue), without any fitting of data and independent from distribution of strain in the tissue caused by the application of compression force.

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 spectral estimation on the isolated channel data; and selectively attenuating the 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: The invention provides a color Doppler ultrasound imaging method. The method includes acquiring a plurality of sparse color Doppler ultrasound image frames and B-mode ultrasound image frames. The color Doppler and B-mode image frames are then pre-processed before estimating a vector flow based on said frames by means of solving a flow vector field in a whole field of view of the image frames through an optimization framework, in which a mask is adapted to define a sparse area of observed color Doppler measurements within the sparse color Doppler image frames. A new color Doppler image frame is generated based on this estimate and included in the output image.

Abstract: Method for ultrasonic characterization of a medium, comprising generating a series of incident ultrasonic waves, generating an experimental reflection matrix Rui(t) defined between the emission basis (i) as input and a reception basis (u) as output, and determining a focused reflection matrix RFoc(rin, rout, ?t) of the medium between an input virtual transducer (TVin) calculated based on a focusing as input to the experimental reflection matrix and an output virtual transducer (TVout) calculated based on a focusing as output from the experimental reflection matrix, the responses of the output virtual transducer (TVout) being obtained at a time instant that is shifted by an additional delay ?t relative to a time instant of the responses of the input virtual transducer (TVin).

Abstract: Systems and methods for ossification center detection (OCD) and bone age assessment (BAA) may be provided. The method may include obtaining a bone age image of a subject. The method may include generating a normalized bone age image by preprocessing the bone age image. The method may include determining, based on the normalized bone age image, positions of a plurality of ossification centers using an ossification center localization (OCL) model. The method may include estimating, based on the normalized bone age image and information related to the positions of the plurality of ossification centers, a bone age of the subject using a bone age assessment (BAA) model.

Abstract: An ultrasonic fingerprint sensor in a mobile device is operated to capture an initial snapshot of reflection from a finger's surface, of acoustic energy transmitted at a first frequency. Additionally, the ultrasonic fingerprint sensor is operated repeatedly to capture over time, a sequence of sets, each set including one or more additional snapshots of reflection from one or more depths within the finger, of acoustic energy transmitted at a second frequency significantly lower than the first frequency. Measurements in the additional snapshots are processed to determine whether any signal oscillating at a rate in a normal range for heart rate or respiration rate is present. When a signal is found, its rate may be used in several ways, e.g. to enable functionality when a fingerprint in the initial snapshot matches a reference fingerprint, or to identify and track a heart rate (or a respiration rate) based on the signal's rate.

Abstract: Techniques for generating multiple-resolutions of time series data are described. An input irregular time series having a plurality of data points is obtained, each data point of the plurality of data points including a timestamp and a feature vector. Based on the input irregular time series, multiple variant time series are generated. A data point in one of the variant time series is based in part on a combination of at least two data points of the input irregular time series. The multiple variant time series can then be used for machine learning tasks such as training a machine learning model or using a machine learning model to infer an output.

Abstract: A system for characterizing tissue includes a probe that delivers a continuous and periodic mechanical vibration to a tissue of a subject; an ultrasound emitter that emits a sequence of ultrasound shots and an ultrasound receiver that receives corresponding echo signals to track how the tissue is moved by the periodic mechanical vibration delivered to the tissue; and a control module programmed to provide homogeneity information to an operator of the system, the homogeneity information being determined from at least some of the echo signals and being representative of the ability of the tissue to transmit elastic waves and of the homogeneity of the tissue with respect to the propagation of elastic waves.

Abstract: A phased array ultrasonic transducer includes a bonding wire structure, a damping material, a plurality of ultrasonic transducers, and a printed circuit board. The bonding wire structure includes a plurality of bonding wire elements. The damping material surrounds the bonding wire structure and is interposed with the plurality of bonding wire elements. The plurality of ultrasonic transducers is arranged in a matrix beneath a membrane, each of the plurality of ultrasonic transducers being coupled to a corresponding bonding wire element of the plurality of bonding wire elements. The printed circuit board includes a plurality of circuits. Each of the plurality of circuits is coupled to a corresponding bonding wire element of the plurality of bonding wire elements.

Abstract: Systems and methods for performing ultrasound imaging. Ultrasound information of a subject region in response to ultrasound pulses transmitted toward the subject region can be gathered. The ultrasound information can include reflectivity information and complementary information to the reflectivity information of the subject region in response to the ultrasound pulses. One or more ultrasound images of at least a portion of the subject region can be formed from the reflectivity information. Further, the one or more ultrasound images can be modified based on the complementary information to the reflectivity information to generate one or more enhanced ultrasound images from the one or more ultrasound images.

Abstract: Frequency is swept in acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) scanning. Different frequencies are used at different times during the ARFI. For example, different frequencies are focused to different depths in the ARFI transmit beam. Since the frequency sweep is used for the ARFI pushing pulse rather than a transmit pulse for which echoes are received, the rate of change of the frequency is not dictated by the speed of sound. The rate of change of the frequency may be adjustable or set based on other factors, such as the type of tissue. In combination with a time varying focal position, the frequency sweep may better compensate for loss as compared to a focus sweep alone. The frequency sweep may better compensate for loss as compared to a single point focus ARFI.

Abstract: A method and system for generating an enhanced image of a volume of tissue, comprising: emitting acoustic waveforms toward the volume of tissue; detecting acoustic signals derived from acoustic waveforms interacting with the volume of tissue; generating a reflection rendering of a region of the volume of tissue; generating at least one of a sound speed map and an attenuation map of the region of the volume of tissue; generating a transfer map derived from a set of sound speed parameter values of the sound speed map and/or a set of acoustic attenuation parameter values of the acoustic attenuation map, the set of sound speed parameter values and the set of acoustic attenuation parameters associated with the set of elements of the region of the volume of tissue; and rendering an enhanced image of the volume of tissue, derived from processing of the reflection rendering with the transfer map.

Abstract: An underwater detection device may include a transmitter, which may include a transmitter, a receiver, and processing circuitry. The transmitter may be configured to transmit a transmission wave. The receiver may be configured to receive a reflection wave of the transmission wave. The processing circuitry may be configured to acquire a first position of a ship and a first measurement value that is a measurement result of the reflection wave at the first position, determine whether a relationship between the first position and a second position of the ship or another ship meets a given condition, and calculate a correction value based on the first measurement value and a second measurement value that is a measurement result of the reflection wave at the second position under a circumstance when the given condition is met.

Abstract: A system for monitoring rock damage in deep engineering environment includes an acoustic emission sensor assembly and an acoustic emission amplifier assembly. The assemblies are mounted on a rock mechanics test system. The acoustic emission sensor clamp includes a coupling screw, as well as a clamp cover, a clamp cylinder, and a coupling panel threadedly connected in sequence. The acoustic emission amplifier assembly includes an acoustic emission amplifier, an upright column having a guide rail, a lifting support plate, and a support plate lifting oil cylinder. Additionally, an evaluation method based on acoustic emission tempo-spatial evolution laws is presented. According to the properties of acoustic emission, fractal characteristics of damage evolution processes of rock test pieces are analyzed and the relationship between stress, energy and fractal dimension in the whole process of tensile deformation damage of the rock test pieces is obtained.

Abstract: Systems and methods for attenuation measuring using ultrasound. In various embodiments, echo data corresponding to a detection of echoes of one or more ultrasound signals transmitted into tissue are received. The echoes can be received from a range of depths of the tissue. Spectral measurements across the range of depths of the tissue are obtained using the echo data. Attenuation characteristics of the tissue across the range of depths of the tissue can be estimated using the spectral measurements across the range of depths of the tissue. Specifically, the attenuation characteristics of the tissue can be estimated using the spectral measurements and known spectral characteristics of the one or more ultrasound signals transmitted into the tissue.

Abstract: An ultrasound system with a deep learning neural network feature is used to eliminate haze artifacts in B mode images of the carotid artery by analysis of orthogonal information. In a described implementation the orthogonal information comprises the structural information of a B mode image and motion information of the same field of view as that of the B mode image. In another embodiment the neural network reduces haze artifacts by reducing TGC gain at the depth of artifacts.

Abstract: There are provided an ultrasonic diagnostic device and an ultrasonic image generation method in which the direction of a beam formed in a subject is not changed even if at least one of set sound speeds used in transmission focusing processing and reception focusing processing is changed. When at least one of the set sound speeds used in the transmission focusing processing and the reception focusing processing has been changed by a set sound speed changing unit, a focusing processing correction unit corrects a delay of at least one of the transmission focusing processing and the reception focusing processing based on the changed set sound speed such that the direction of the beam formed in the subject is not changed.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for performing ultrasound imaging. Channel domain data can be received from an ultrasound transducer to form one or more channel domain data sets. A first ultrasound processing operation can be applied to the channel domain data to generate a first subset of one or more images from the one or more channel domain data sets. A second ultrasound processing operation can be applied to the channel domain data to generate a second subset of one or more images from the one or more channel domain data sets. Image characteristics of the first subset of one or more images and the second subset of one or more images can be regionally analyzed to identify regional image characteristics of the first and second subsets of one or more images. The first subset of one or more images can be blended with the second subset of one or more images based on the regional image characteristics to generate one or more composite images.

Abstract: A systems and methods for tissue characterization using ultrasound are disclosed. One embodiment is for a system with a novel YB-scan transducer. The YB transducer is comprised of a plurality of separate and independent piezo-elements. The system is configured to scan a tissue or organ using two different frequencies to produce 2D images and two-frequency attenuation data to characterize tissue types. Other embodiments are presented permitting conventional B-scan imaging combined with A-mode scanning for two-frequency tissue characterization.

Abstract: Devices, systems and/or methods for monitoring and/or stimulating osteogenesis use sensor data from a target site of a bone to produce a quantitative output that can be used to determine the healing rate of the patient, when the bone at the target has fully consolidated and/or to direct further treatment of the patient.

Abstract: An ultrasound circuit comprising a trans-impedance amplifier (TIA) with built-in time gain compensation functionality is described. The TIA is coupled to an ultrasonic transducer to amplify an electrical signal generated by the ultrasonic transducer in response to receiving an ultrasound signal. The TIA is, in some cases, followed by further analog and digital processing circuitry.

Abstract: A method for intraoral scanning, including introducing an intraoral scanner (IOS) head into an oral cavity, acquiring an image of a field of view (FOV), processing the acquired FOV image and adjusting at least one image acquisition parameter based on said processing, and an intraoral scanner (IOS) including an IOS head including at least one imager imaging a field of view (FOV), at least on light emitter that illuminates said FOV and circuitry that controls said imager and/or said light emitter.

Abstract: A method includes calculating a center-of-mass of a volume of an organ of a patient in a computerized anatomical map of the volume. A location is found on the anatomical map, on a surface of the volume, that is farthest from the center-of-mass. The location is identified as a known anatomical opening of the organ.

Abstract: Post-image acquisition methods, circuits and systems for evaluating medical images of a subject register a region of interest in a first medical image taken at a first point in time to the region of interest in a second image taken before or after the first medical image with voxels from the first and second medical images having a voxel-wise correspondence. The methods, circuits and systems can use line and/or shape changes of defined 3-D finite elements to electronically determine directional, shear and volumetric changes of the voxels in the region of interest between the first and second medical images.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for obtaining a functional parameter of a muscle having a part, the method comprising the steps of: a) applying ultrasound waves to the muscle, b) collecting the ultrasound waves retrodiffused by the muscle at a plurality of times, to obtain collected ultrasound waves, c) determining a first plurality of values representative of stiffness values of one part at a first plurality of times by using the collected ultrasound waves, d) determining a second plurality of values representative of deformation values of said part at a second plurality of times by using the collected ultrasound waves, and e) deducing at least one functional parameter based on the first plurality of values and the second plurality of values. The invention also concerns a corresponding device.

Abstract: Fat fraction is estimated from shear wave propagation. Acoustic radiation force is used to generate a shear wave in tissue of interest. The attenuation, center frequency, bandwidth or other non-velocity characteristic of the shear wave is calculated and used to estimate the fat fraction.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to an embodiment includes a signal processing unit, an indicator calculating unit, a storage unit and a controller. The signal processing unit generates, based on a reflection wave signal of an ultrasonic wave that is transmitted into a subject, strain information about a strain of a tissue that is pressured and released in the subject in chronological order. The indicator calculating unit calculates an indicator of a state of pressure and release to the tissue at generation of the strain information. The storage unit stores a time phase at generation of the strain information and the indicator at generation of the strain information in an associated manner. The controller extracts a candidate time phase being a time phase of a candidate based on the indicator associated with each of the time phase.

Abstract: Method for ultrasound microscopic measuring of semiconductor samples, computer program for ultrasound microscopic measuring of semiconductor samples, computer program product and ultrasound microscope. Inter alia, a method for the ultrasound microscopic measurement of semiconductor samples is provided, in which the time distances (?t) between signals are compared with comparative time distances, which are determined by a known thickness of a layer of the sample.

Abstract: For noise reduction in elasticity imaging, frequency compounding is used. Displacements caused by the acoustic radiation force impulse are measured using signals at different frequencies, either due to transmission of tracking pulses and reception at different frequencies or due to processing received signals at different sub-bands. The displacements are (a) combined to compound and the compounded displacements are used to determine elasticity or (b) are used to determine elasticity and the elasticities from information at the different frequencies are compounded.

Abstract: A method of diagnosis is disclosed. The method comprises: acquiring an absolute component and a phase component of an input signal indicative of an impedance of an organ of a subject; determining baseline blood flow of the subject based on the phase component; determining transient changes in blood flow based on at least the absolute component; and displaying the baseline blood flow and the transient changes in blood flow.

Abstract: An ultrasound imaging apparatus includes an ultrasonic probe configured to transmit an ultrasound to an object, receive an echo signal reflected from the object, and output the echo signal; a quality determiner configured to receive the echo signals and determine quality of voxels of a three-dimensional (3D) volume of the object to be rendered based on observation information of the 3D volume; and a beamformer configured to perform beamforming on the echo signal based on the quality of the voxels to generate an output signal.

Abstract: A device designed to empower users to take control of their health by becoming aware of how their physical and mental health is affected by their lifestyle choices. In embodiments, the device can comprise a housing, at least one emitter source disposed within the housing, a first sensing element configured to detect a reflected portion of the at least one energy beam and generate a first signal corresponding to a measured composition of subcutaneous fat tissue, and a second sensing element configured to detect a plurality of physiological parameters.

Abstract: Multiple methods and corresponding apparatuses for efficient and reliable defect diagnosis in components of mechanical systems, are described. According to one aspect, multi-scale enveloping-order spectrogram is used to diagnose, or detect, defects in a moving component of a mechanical system. According to another aspect, defect identification and diagnosis in a motor is performed based on spectral characteristics of motor current envelope. According to yet another aspect, a logic rule model, employing classification of features associated with single- or multi-sensor data, is employed for diagnosis of defects in components of mechanical systems.

Abstract: A method for operating an analog-to-digital converter to convert a signal includes calculating a signal parameter in a spectral sub-range of the signal to be converted. The spectral sub-range includes a frequency range of a potential sampling frequency range of the analog-to-digital converter, which does not include frequencies of at least one other sub-range of the sampling frequency range. The method further includes determining a sampling frequency of the analog-to-digital converter by using the signal parameter and operating the analog-to-digital converter using the determined sampling frequency.

Abstract: A field programmable gate array (FPGA) circuit including a quadrature internal conditioning circuit is provided. The circuit having a buffer circuit; and a reconstruction engine circuit, wherein the reconstruction engine circuit includes: a circuit to measure a phase of a signal; and a flavor interpolation circuit; wherein: the circuit to measure the phase of a signal includes digitization points forming two complex numbers for each cycle of the center frequency of the signal. A system for collecting tissue images including a patient interface module (PIM); a pulse transmitter circuit; an analog to digital converter circuit; and an FPGA circuit as above; and a catheter having a sensing head is also provided. A method for using the above system to provide an image reconstruction is also provided.

Abstract: Provided is an ultrasound observation apparatus for generating an ultrasound image based on an ultrasound signal acquired by an ultrasound probe having an ultrasound transducer. The apparatus includes: an analysis unit that performs FFT on a sample data group having pieces of sample data in RF data generated based on the ultrasound signal, to calculate frequency spectra; a correction unit that generates, based on the frequency spectra, analysis data indicating a relationship between a distance from the ultrasound transducer and an intensity of each of the frequency spectra for each frequency component, and corrects the analysis data based on a correction amount set for each distance, the correction amount causing an intensity of reference data generated from a reference ultrasound signal to be constant regardless of the distance; and a calculation unit that calculates a frequency feature based on a frequency spectrum generated in accordance with the corrected analysis data.

Abstract: Embodiments provided herein generally relate to improved ultrasound visualization. In some embodiments, interoperative ultrasound displays may be enhanced for more accurate identification of cancerous and non-cancerous tissues.

Abstract: The disclosed subject matter related to methods and apparatus for determining brain swelling in a patient as well as predicting an increase in intracranial pressure in the patient. The apparatus can include a transducer such as an ultrasound transducer communicatively connected to a controller via wires or via wireless communications device(s). A monitor and/or alarm device can be provided to notify a practitioner when the controller has determined brain swelling is occurring and/or when an imminent increase in intracranial pressure is likely to occur.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method of analyzing an ultrasound signal. The method comprises obtaining a time series of sequential data frames associated with an ultrasound signal reflected from and/or backscattered from a fixed location of a material under investigation, each data frame comprising a plurality of samples of the ultrasound signal, and subjecting to an analysis a sequence of one or more samples of the ultrasound signal, or a sequence of at least one parameter derived from one or more samples of the ultrasound signal, wherein a result of the analysis is related to one or properties or characteristics of the material. In one embodiment the method may be used for detecting, diagnosing, and/or assessing cancer and/or abnormalities in biological tissue.

Abstract: A method for estimating at least one of a fastener-hole depth and a fastener length prior to forming a hole in a bone can include selecting a position on a proximal side of a proximal cortical bone layer for forming the hole, transmitting a transmitted wave into the bone from the selected position, and receiving a reflected wave at the selected position after the transmitted wave has been reflected by a distal cortical bone layer. The method can further include determining a distance from the selected position to the distal cortical bone layer based on times at which the transmitted wave is transmitted and the reflected wave is received, and estimating the at least one of the fastener-hole depth and the fastener length based on the distance to the distal cortical bone layer.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system scans a plurality of planar slices in a volumetric region which are parallel to each other. Following detection of the image data of the slices the slice data is combined by projecting the data in the elevation dimension to produce a “thick slice” image. Combining may be by means of an averaging or maximum intensity detection or weighting process or by raycasting in the elevation dimension in a volumetric rendering process. Thick slice images are displayed at a high frame rate of display by combining a newly acquired slice with slices previously acquired from different elevational planes which were used in a previous combination. A new thick slice image may be produced each time at least one of the slice images is updated by a newly acquired slice. Frame rate is further improved by multiline acquisition of the slices.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for identifying shim geometries. A first part and a second part are assembled with a couplant positioned between the first part and the second part at a shim location, at which a shim is to be installed, to form an assembly. A pulse of ultrasonic energy is sent into the assembly at each of a set of selected locations along the assembly corresponding to the shim location using an ultrasonic device. A plurality of echoes is detected for each of the set of selected locations using data generated by the ultrasonic device in response to the ultrasonic device receiving reflections of the ultrasonic energy. A geometry for the shim is identified based on the plurality of echoes detected at each selected location of the set of selected locations.

Abstract: The present invention relates to method and system for automatic control of image quality in imaging of an object using, for example, an ultrasound system. The method comprises transmitting image generating signals into the object using selected system parameter sets of the imaging system. The imaging system has a number of different system parameter sets based on an image ranking measure reflecting a subjective expert opinion of a pre-defined set of images. The captured images are analyzed with respect to at least one image quality feature to determine an image quality metric for each image. The respective image quality metric for each image are analyzed to identify an image associated with a highest image quality metric and the system parameter set used for generating the image associated with the highest image quality metric can be selected as system parameter set for imaging of the object.

Abstract: A photoacoustic imaging apparatus is equipped with an extracting section that extracts position data regarding the positions of each of a plurality of peaks in electrical signals that photoacoustic waves have been converted into, and positive/negative data that indicates whether the peaks are positive or negative. An image generating section administers chromatic adjustments to an image region corresponding to a signal region sandwiched between adjacent peaks based on the position data in the case that the positive/negative data for the adjacent peaks are in the order of positive then negative in temporal series, in order to facilitate discrimination of the pair of adjacent peaks and the signal region as being a single tissue system. Thereby, discrimination of a region between two lines is facilitated in photoacoustic imaging, even in cases that the boundary between a comparatively large tissue system and another tissue system is displayed as two lines.

Abstract: An invention is disclosed for locating a region of interest in the calcaneus. A pair of ultrasound transducers are positioned on the medial and lateral sides of the heel, respectively. The positioning is based on a size of a portion of the body of a subject upon whom the ultrasound assessment of the calcaneus is to be made. In a presently preferred embodiment, the length of the foot from the back to the head of the first metatarsal is used in conjunction with a proportionality constant and an angle, to position the pair of transducers. The positioning so obtained facilitates (i) reproducible measurements and (ii) comparisons of the results obtained in one person with another, because relatively analogous portions of the highly heterogeneous calcanei are assessed in both. In an alternative embodiment, a single transducer is positioned similarly on the heel, operating in pulse-echo mode.