Abstract: An apparatus for detecting anchor bolt pullout strength. The apparatus includes circuitry configured to process ultrasonic measurement signals using at least one of a direct, an indirect, and a semi-direct measurement technique. Further, the apparatus comprises a first probe and a second probe connected to the circuitry, and memory for storing data detected by the first and the second probe. The memory is connected to the circuitry and a data connection connected to the circuitry and configured to communicate with an external network. An ultrasonic signal is transmitted by the circuitry through the first probe and rebounded by the second prob. The circuitry detects a time duration to receive the rebounded signal, storing the time duration to the memory, and comparing the time duration to reference measurement data. The reference measurement data may be stored in at least one of the memory and the external network.

Abstract: Chirp waves generated in a transmitting/receiving unit is supplied to ultrasonic sensors. Signals output from the ultrasonic sensors are supplied to the transmitting/receiving unit and summed in a signal processing/recording unit. The signal processing/recording unit performs mutual correlation processing between the summed signals and the chirp waves and calculates a peak generation time difference. Necessity of exchanging a pipe is determined by calculating and recording the thickness of a pipe from the calculated time difference and calculating a difference between thicknesses measured in the past and the present.

Abstract: A detection assembly, a touch display device, a touch positioning method and a pressure detection method are provided. The detection assembly includes: a first substrate; an acoustic wave generation device provided on the first substrate; an acoustic wave detection device which is provided on the first substrate and at a side, away from the first substrate, of the acoustic wave generation device and includes a plurality of acoustic wave sensing units spaced apart from each other; and a contact layer covering the acoustic wave detection device.

Abstract: A method for the non-destructive ultrasonic testing of a part by the analysis of echoes returned by the part in response to the emission of an ultrasonic wave via an ultrasonic transducer, includes a step of determining a variable gain curve and a step of correcting the amplitude of the echoes returned by the part according to the variable gain curve and the moments of reception of the echoes. The method further includes steps of: producing a wave function representative of an ultrasonic transducer; producing transfer functions Fm representative of the frequency responses of reference samples Rm of the material forming the part; and calculating reference attenuation values between the wave function and the results of calculations of filtering of the wave function by the respective transfer functions Fm of the reference samples Rm.

Abstract: A method is provided for producing a pressure vessel from a metal liner, which is reinforced at an outer lateral surface thereof by fiber composite material having a resin matrix. In at least one production step, the resin matrix of the fiber composite material is subjected to an ultrasound treatment.

Abstract: An image generating apparatus of the present invention has a determination unit that sets a target area in a part of an area inside a subject, executes processing to adjust a phase of each detection signal based on a distance from each detection element to a target area and a tentative velocity, and calculate dispersion of intensities of a plurality of detection signals of which phases are adjusted, for a plurality of tentative velocities, and determines a velocity for which dispersion of intensities is minimum, out of the plurality of tentative velocities, as a propagation velocity.

Abstract: An ultrasonic particle size measurement device includes: a transducer for (i) receiving an ultrasonic pulse scattered after being emitted to a fine particle and (ii) generating a first scattering amplitude ?; and a particle size calculating section for calculating a particle size of the fine particle by calculating an amplitude r and a phase ? in accordance with a real part and an imaginary part, respectively, of a second scattering amplitude ? obtained by subjecting the first scattering amplitude ? to a Fourier transform.

Abstract: A hollow structure like a pipeline is inspected using an array of ultrasound transmitters located within the hollow structure distributed over different radial directions from a center of the array. Parameters such as ellipticity, defining a shape and/or orientation of an inner surface of a wall of the hollow structure are first determined based on measured delays between transmission of ultrasound pulses from the transmitters to reception of first reflections of those ultrasound pulses. Parameters may be used that define an elliptically shaped cross-section of the inner wall surface for example. Next an ultrasound wavefront composed of joint transmissions from the transmitters along at least a sector of the array is transmitted, using relative time delays between waves transmitted by the respective ones of the transmitters to compensate for estimated differences between travel times from the transmitters to the shape defined by the parameters. Reflections of the joint transmissions are detected.

Abstract: A touch-screen monitor is described. The monitor includes an ultrasonic sensor for detecting motion of an object that is placed in contact with the monitor.

Abstract: A method is described including receiving (S3) a first array of values obtained from measuring an array of touch panel sensor areas (FIG. 4; In,m). The method also includes generating (S4) a second array of values based on subtracting a reference array of values from the first array of values. The method also includes determining (S5) presence of at least one touch event in dependence upon the second array of value and, upon a negative determination (S8) generating a new reference array based on exponential smoothing of the reference array and the first array using a weighting factor, wherein the weighting factor is zero, and storing the new reference matrix and, upon a positive determination (S6) outputting the second array (FIG. 9).

Abstract: A method of machining an object, the method comprising: receiving a signal from an ultrasonic transducer; determining at least a first external surface of the object and a second internal surface of the object in the received signal; determining a thickness between the first external surface and the second internal surface of the object, the object comprising a first material between the first external surface and the second internal surface, and a second material between the second internal surface and a third surface, the determination of the thickness using a database including a plurality of materials and a plurality of associated acoustic wave velocities; and controlling machining of the first external surface using the determined thickness.

Abstract: A system for analyzing fiber reinforced composite including: an ultrasonic transmitter configured to provide ultra-sonic pulses to the fiber reinforced composite; an ultrasonic receiver configured to receive ultrasonic signal data related to the ultrasonic pulses; a filter module configured to filter the ultrasonic signal data; a signal processing module configured to process the filtered ultrasonic signal data; an analysis module configured to analyze the processed ultrasonic signal data by: calculating a characteristic value based on the ultrasonic signal data; comparing the characteristic value to a baseline established for the characteristic value; and determining a percentage of design strength based on the comparison; and an output module configured to output the percentage of design strength.

Abstract: An acoustic array system for anomaly detection is provided. The acoustic array system (100) performs a scan (or a progressive scan of frequencies) of a given volume by transmitting one or more signals, and receives one or more reflected signals from objects within the volume. The reflected signals are then amplified and converted to a set of digital signals. Features of the set of digital signals are extracted both in time and frequency domains. The acoustic array system (100) further performs a comparison of these set of digital extracted features with the reflected signals via machine learning techniques. Based on the comparison, the acoustic array system detects one or more anomalies.

Abstract: Methods, systems and device are provided for improving the range and accuracy of proximity measurement such as in ultrasonic sensing systems. In particular, the blind zone caused by reverberation signals can be reduced or eliminated by attenuating signals received during the time period corresponding to the blind zone without. In an implementation, an attenuator circuit is selected by a switch to process received signals during the blind zone time period and deselected by the switch after the time zone time period. Additionally, the accuracy and range of the measurement can be improved by varying the gain provided to the received signals based on the varying measuring distance. In an implementation, a gain-adjustable amplifier is controlled by a gain control signal to provide incremental gain as time increases.

Abstract: In a method and system for inspecting the condition of a structure, the structure is scanned with a three-dimensional (3D) scanner. The 3D scanner includes a sensing system having one of a radar sensing device or an ultrasonic detection device. The sensing system detects 3D information about a subsurface of the structure, and the 3D scanner generates 3D data points based on the information detected by one or more of the radar sensing device and the ultrasonic detection device. A 3D model is constructed from the 3D data and is then analyzed to determine the condition of the subsurface of the structure.

Abstract: A method for inspecting an object by ultrasound for detecting a wall thickness or defects of the object, wherein at least one ultrasonic pulse is transmitted into the object on a first position on an object's surface, the ultrasonic pulse is received on a second position on an object's surface possibly by propagating directly towards the second position along the surface or possibly as a result of reflection and/or diffractions of the pulse so that more than one pulse being received at different time and wherein a data signal is generated representing the received pulses and the associated moments in time wherein these pulses are received wherein the step is repeated for other positions and wherein the data signals are processed for generating processed signals to obtain a To FD image, wherein the processing for obtaining the processed data signals comprises at least three processing steps.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a testing device of a turbine blade includes: a non-compressive elastic medium brought into close contact with a platform of the turbine blade in a state fastened to a turbine rotor; a probe which has piezoelectric elements arranged in an array and transmits ultrasound waves toward a fastening portion of the turbine blade through the elastic medium and receives echo waves; and a display portion for imaging an internal region of the fastening portion on the basis of the echo waves and displaying the same.

Abstract: A method for the ultrasound check of a test object involves moving a test probe along a test probe surface and sending ultrasound impulses into the test object by the test probe. Respective echo signals corresponding with the emitted ultrasound impulses are received by the test probe. An image of a predetermined test region of the test object is prepared on the basis of an overlapping and averaging of amplitude values of the received echo signals by a data processing unit. The respective position of the test probe when sending the ultrasound signals and/or when receiving the corresponding echo signals is captured by a capturing unit. The respectively captured positions of the test probe are considered when creating the image of the test region of the test object.

Abstract: Methods, systems and computer program products for nondestructive ultrasound imaging are provided. An example method defines a plurality of subarrays, each comprising a plurality of ultrasound transducer elements. The method transmits a plurality of ultrasound beams from each of the plurality of subarrays, each ultrasound beam being transmitted at a preset beamsteering angle. Subsequent to each transmit, the method receives, at the array, a plurality of ultrasound reflections corresponding to the plurality of ultrasound beams. For each point to be imaged, the method selects one set of received element data for each of the plurality of subarrays. The selected set of element data corresponds to an ultrasound beam having a focal point closest to the point to be imaged. Finally, the method reconstructs a point to be imaged based on the selected received element data, and constructs an ultrasound image by repeating this process for each point to be imaged.

Abstract: A touch-screen monitor is described. The monitor includes an ultrasonic sensor for detecting motion of an object that is placed in contact with the monitor.

Abstract: A transducer main body has, on a front end side thereof, an oscillating plane having a bent shape in a side view and corresponding to a larger-diameter curved surface formed at a bend of a laminated part. Over the oscillating plane of the transducer main body, a plurality of piezoelectric oscillators is distributed in a matrix in a bent direction and a width direction. In each oscillator group, a controlling unit switches the piezoelectric oscillators to transmission and reception piezoelectric oscillators by turns in the width direction according to a preset transmission/reception pattern and processes a received signal from the reception piezoelectric oscillator according to an aperture synthesis method.

Abstract: Ultrasonic measurement apparatus 10 includes a transmitter 14 to transmit an ultrasonic signal 16 into an item 12. A receiver 18 receives echoes 20 from the item 12. The apparatus 10 measures the frequency spectrum of the echo 20 and makes a comparison with another frequency spectrum to extract information relating to a change in the item 12. For example, the item 12 may wear during use. A comparison of the frequency spectrum, with previous frequency spectra, allows changes of dimension of the item 12 to be identified. Changes in amplitudes of the frequency spectrum allow changes in roughness to be detected.

Abstract: After light has been output to a subject to be examined, a photoacoustic wave induced in the subject by the output light is detected. It is assumed that at least one virtual detector element is present outside of a real detector, and dummy data corresponding to the at least one virtual detector element are added to photoacoustic data in which pieces of data of the photoacoustic wave detected by the detector are arranged in accordance with the positions of detector elements. A photoacoustic image is generated by reconstructing the photoacoustic data to which the dummy data have been added by using a Fourier transform method.

Abstract: A method for inspecting a composite structure includes acquiring an image of the composite structure. The composite structure includes at least a first ply and a second ply adjacent the first ply. The method also includes transforming the image into a binary image, and determining a first boundary line between the first ply and the second ply. The method further includes characterizing an irregularity in the composite structure based at least partially on the first boundary line.

Abstract: An image generating apparatus of the present invention has a determination unit that sets a target area in a part of an area inside a subject, executes processing to adjust a phase of each detection signal based on a distance from each detection element to a target area and a tentative velocity, and calculate dispersion of intensities of a plurality of detection signals of which phases are adjusted, for a plurality of tentative velocities, and determines a velocity for which dispersion of intensities is minimum, out of the plurality of tentative velocities, as a propagation velocity.

Abstract: An acoustic system, which may be ultrasonic, operates in a power efficient idle mode thereby reducing the power consumption required by high frequency sampling and processing. While in idle mode, an acoustic receiver device operates with an idle sampling rate that is lower than the full sampling rate used during full operational mode, but is capable of receiving a wake-up signal from the associated acoustic transmitter. When the wake-up signal is received, the acoustic receiver switches to full operational mode by increasing the sampling rate and enables full processing. The acoustic system may be used in, e.g., an ultrasonic pointing device, location beacons, in peer-to-peer communications between devices, as well as gesture detection.

Abstract: A rail condition monitoring carriage for use on a railroad track is provided, including at least one frame movable along the railroad track, an ultrasonic rail condition monitor disposed on the at least one frame and configured for ultrasonically monitoring condition of the railroad track and transmitting the condition data to a remote location, a gage measurement device disposed on the at least one frame for monitoring a gage value of the track, collecting gage data and transmitting the gage data to the remote location, and a control system connected to the rail condition monitor and the gage measurement device for receiving the collected data and evaluating same.

Abstract: An ultrasonic measuring system is described for detecting an obstacle using a resonant transducer element for transmitting an ultrasonic pulse and for generating a received signal which includes the ultrasonic echo pulse reflected from the obstacle, the transducer element generating a decay signal having its resonance frequency after transmitting an ultrasonic pulse. The ultrasonic measuring system includes an evaluation unit having a control unit which is designed to activate the transducer element for transmitting the ultrasonic pulse with the aid of a frequency-modulated transmitted signal generated by the control unit, the frequency modulation taking place with the aid of a modulation signal in such a way that the signature of the ultrasonic pulse differs from that of the decay signal.

Abstract: A photo acoustic non-destructive measurement apparatus and method for quantitatively measuring texture of a food snack is disclosed. The apparatus includes a laser generating tool, an acoustic capturing device, and a data processing unit. The laser generating tool directs a laser towards a food snack placed on a surface and creates pressure waves that propagate through the air and produce an acoustic signal. The acoustic capturing device records and forwards the signal to a data processing unit. The data processing unit further comprises a digital signal processing module that processes the received acoustic signal. A statistical processing module further filters the acoustic signal from the data processing unit and generates a quantitative acoustic model for texture attributes such as hardness and fracturability. The quantitative model is correlated with a qualitative texture measurement from a descriptive expert panel. Texture of food snacks are quantitatively measured with the quantitative acoustic model.

Abstract: An example method for automatically characterizing an echo contained in an ultrasonic signal generated with an ultrasonic transducer can include receiving data corresponding to the ultrasonic signal, calculating an energy ratio of the ultrasonic signal and localizing the echo using the energy ratio. The method can include windowing a portion of the ultrasonic signal around the localized echo and calculating a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) and a Hilbert envelop of the windowed portion. The method can include estimating M echo parameters from the FFT and the Hilbert envelope of the windowed portion, where each of the M parameter vectors includes a plurality of echo parameters, calculating M parametric echo models based on each of the M echo parameter vectors and iteratively minimizing a difference between the windowed portion of the ultrasonic signal and a sum of the M parametric echo models.

Abstract: Described herein is an apparatus for detecting damage in a structure that includes a plurality of first piezoelectric sensing elements arranged in a generally circular shape. The apparatus also includes an annular-shaped second piezoelectric sensing element positioned adjacent the plurality of first piezoelectric sensing elements. One of the plurality of first piezoelectric sensing elements or the annular-shaped second piezoelectric sensing element generates a wave through the structure and other of the plurality of first piezoelectric sensing elements or the annular-shaped second piezoelectric sensing element senses the wave after passing through the structure.

Abstract: A system for generating an acoustic image of an object in a container having a first surface on which a vibration can be measure includes an acoustic source for directing acoustic energy to ensonify the container. The system additionally includes a sensor to detect acoustic energy from the acoustic source affected by the object without contacting the container, wherein the detected acoustic energy is measured at least with respect to the vibration on the first surface. The system further includes a processing module to process the detected acoustic energy from the sensor to generate an acoustic image of the object. A corresponding method is also provided.

Abstract: A photoacoustic wave measurement instrument includes a light output unit, a photoacoustic wave detection unit and a photoacoustic wave generation member. The light output unit outputs light. The photoacoustic wave detection unit receives a photoacoustic wave generated by the light in a measurement object, and converts the light into an electric signal. The photoacoustic wave generation member is arranged between an light output end of the light output unit and the measurement object, receives the light, and generates a known photoacoustic wave.

Abstract: A computer-assisted method for quantitative characterizing atrial fibrillation (AF) in a patient includes recording unipolar atrial fibrillation signals from multiple sites in a patient's atria, calculating bipolar electrograms using unipolar AF signals recorded at adjacent sites by a computer system, applying Empirical Mode Decomposition to remove a background from the bipolar electrogram signal to obtain a filtered bipolar electrogram signal, applying Hilbert transform to an envelope function of the filtered bipolar electrogram signal to obtain a time series of instantaneous phases of the filtered bipolar electrogram signal, and identifying a rotor region in patient's atria using the instantaneous phases in the filtered bipolar electrogram signal.

Abstract: An ultrasonic test equipment includes: a signal generating mechanism that generates a voltage waveform; an ultrasonic transmitting mechanism that excites ultrasonic vibrations having a lower frequency than a predetermined frequency to an object to be tested; an ultrasonic receiving mechanism that receives an ultrasonic response from the object to be tested; an AD converting mechanism that digitizes the received ultrasonic waveform; an analyzing mechanism that performs frequency analysis of the digital ultrasonic waveform digitized by the AD converting mechanism; an evaluating mechanism that extracts a variation of a nonlinear ultrasonic component from a frequency component of the digital ultrasonic wave obtained by the frequency analysis, compares the variation with defect data information in a defect information database, identifies a physical quantity of defect information of the object to be tested, and evaluates a defect in the object to be tested; and a control mechanism that partly or entirely controls

Abstract: A touch-screen monitor is described. The monitor includes an ultrasonic sensor for detecting motion of an object that is placed in contact with the monitor.

Abstract: In a method and system for inspecting the condition of a structure, the structure is scanned with a three-dimensional (3D) scanner. The 3D scanner includes a sensing system having one of a radar sensing device or an ultrasonic detection device. The sensing system detects 3D information about a subsurface of the structure, and the 3D scanner generates 3D data points based on the information detected by one or more of the radar sensing device and the ultrasonic detection device. A 3D model is constructed from the 3D data and is then analyzed to determine the condition of the subsurface of the structure.

Abstract: An ultrasonic inspection method for inspecting a first article. The method includes, in a first inspection process: measuring the distance between a first surface of the first article and a nominal axis at three or more measurement locations along the axis of the surface; using the measured distances to produce a mathematical model of the surface of the first article; transmitting an ultrasonic wave from a first side of the first article through the first surface of the first article at a plurality of inspection locations along the axis of the first surface, and receiving a transmitted waveform which has passed through at least part of the first article; using the model to normalize each transmitted waveform at each inspection location to the nominal axis; and identifying a signature signal from the normalized transmitted waveform at each inspection location.

Abstract: Changes in tissue stiffness have long been associated with disease. Systems and methods for determining the stiffness of tissues using ultrasonography may include a device for inducing a propagating shear wave in tissue and tracking the speed of propagation, which is directly related to tissue stiffness and density. The speed of a propagating shear wave may be detected by imaging a tissue at a high frame rate and detecting the propagating wave as a perturbance in successive image frames relative to a baseline image of the tissue in an undisturbed state. In some embodiments, sufficiently high frame rates may be achieved by using a ping-based ultrasound imaging technique in which unfocused omni-directional pings are transmitted (in an imaging plane or in a hemisphere) into a region of interest. Receiving echoes of the omnidirectional pings with multiple receive apertures allows for substantially improved lateral resolution.

Abstract: A method is provided for acquiring ultrasonic data using multi-beam transmission. The method includes transmitting a first transmit beam using a first subset of element and transmitting a second transmit beam using a second subset of the elements. The first and second subsets of elements comprising at least one common element. The first and second beams are transmitted simultaneously. The elements are divided into the first and second subsets that may comprise at least partially different subsets of elements. An ultrasonic system is also provided that comprises a transducer comprising an array of elements and a beamformer for dividing the array of elements into at least first and second subsets of elements. The first and second subsets of elements at least partially overlapping. A transmitter drives the first and second subsets of elements to simultaneously transmit different first and second transmit beams, respectively. A receiver receives receive lines representative of the first and second transmit beams.

Abstract: To obtain ambient sound velocity of a subject with high accuracy in a ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus. In an ambient sound velocity obtaining method that transmits ultrasonic waves from an ultrasonic probe, receives reflected waves reflected by a subject to obtain received signals, performs a receive focusing process on the received signals using receive delay times based on a plurality of sound velocity settings to obtain in-phase sum signals with respect to each sound velocity setting, and obtains an ambient sound velocity of the subject based on the in-phase sum signals with respect to each sound velocity setting, the in-phase sum signals with respect to each sound velocity setting is separated into an in-phase sum signal corresponding to a boundary portion in the subject and an in-phase sum signal corresponding to portions other than the boundary portion, an index is obtained based on at least either one of the in-phase sum signals, and the ambient sound velocity is obtained based on the index.

Abstract: An example component inspection method includes directing a wave from a curved array of transducer elements toward a component. The method forms the wave using focal law calculator software.

Abstract: Disclosed is an object information acquiring apparatus including: a receiver that includes a plurality of elements and converts an acoustic wave generated from an object irradiated with light into a received signal, and outputs the received signal in a time series; a normalizer that generates a normalized signal by normalizing the intensity of the received signal; and a processor that generates, from the normalized signal, first image data that indicates the distribution of property information inside the object.

Abstract: A system performs ultrasound parameter estimation at specific advantageous sets of points in a two- or three-dimensional field of view within re-configurable, massively parallel, programmable architectures. A power efficient system is used for processing the data, thereby increasing the ability of the system for mobile ultrasound applications. Various architectural aspects provide the ability to simultaneously accept a large number of channels of data characterized by a continuous, simultaneous flow at high sample rates. The input data is routed at high rates to a distributed and large number of processing elements, memory, and connections for simultaneous parameter estimation at multiple points in the field of view, thereby enabling data streaming through the architecture.

Abstract: A system and method for measuring various weld characteristics is presented. The system and method can comprise a means to measure penetration depth of butt welds in thin plates, for example, using laser generated ultrasounds. Superimposed line sources (SLS) can be used to generate narrowband ultrasounds. A signal processing procedure that combines wavenumber-frequency (k-?) domain filtering and synthetic phase tuning (SPT) is used to reduce the complexity of Lamb wave signals. The reflection coefficients for different wavelengths corresponding to each wave mode can be calculated. Regression analysis that can include stepwise regression and corrected Akaike's information criterion (AIC) can be performed to build prediction models that use the reflection coefficients as predictors.

Abstract: Systems and methods for automatically generating a Network on Chip (NoC) interconnect architecture with pipeline stages are described. The present disclosure includes example implementations directed to automatically determining the number and placement of pipeline stages for each channel in the NoC. Example implementations may also adjust the buffer at one or more routers based on the pipeline stages and configure throughput for virtual channels.

Abstract: A position detection system, includes at least one moving body (MB) including a transmission device simultaneously emitting a trigger signal indicating transmission timing and an ultrasonic signal obtained by modulating a signal of a frequency as a reference by pseudo random sequence data having high self-correlativity, and a reception device detecting MB position. The reception device includes ultrasonic reception units, a unit calculating a correlation value between a waveform of the ultrasonic signal and a model waveform of the pseudo random sequence, a unit subjecting the waveform of the ultrasonic signal and the model waveform to calculate a correlation value between the two waveforms, a unit calculating a propagation time of each ultrasonic to arrive at each of the ultrasonic reception units from trigger signal reception to correlation peak detection, and a unit calculating MB position from the ultrasonic propagation time and the interval length between the ultrasonic reception units.

Abstract: An ultrasonic inspection method and an ultrasonic inspection device allow three-dimensional inspection data and three-dimensional shape data to be appropriately positioned on a display screen and allow a defect echo and a shape echo to be quickly identified even when information on the relative positions of a probe and an object to be inspected is not provided. The ultrasonic inspection data that is generated from the waveforms of ultrasonic waves received by an ultrasonic probe is compared with a plurality of ultrasonic propagation data pieces calculated by a ray tracing method on the basis of the three-dimensional shape data on an object to be inspected. The position of the three-dimensional inspection data or the three-dimensional shape data is moved relative to the other data position on the basis of the comparison results, thereby displaying the three-dimensional inspection data and the three-dimensional shape data while overlapping each other.

Abstract: An ultrasonic detector (10) suitable for mounting in a position for surveying an area for a source of airborne ultrasound, which detector comprises a sensor (20) for detecting an ultrasonic sound signal, characterized by a transducer (64) configured to produce a broadband ultrasonic sound signal for reception by said sensor (20) enabling said ultrasonic detector to perform a self-test.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments include an apparatus for imaging a volume of material contained inside a vessel. The apparatus includes a plurality of synchronized acoustic sensors positioned at a periphery of an inner volume of the vessel. A processor combines the outputs of the acoustic sensors to identify at least one ambient noise source of the industrial process generating a noise field that illuminates an internal volume of the vessel and to provide an image of the material by temporal and spatial coherent processing of the transmission and reflection of the noise field generated by the noise source.