A communication system utilizes acoustic helical waves to transmit and receive information. The acoustic communication system can communicate securely underwater or in fluids and may be used to communicate with underwater vehicles or in medical settings.

Disclosed are examples of a method, a wearable device and a system enabling authentication of a user of a payment account or completion of a purchase transaction via signals generated by the wearable device. A process may include a wearable device generating a modulated signal using an encryption algorithm. The modulated signal may contain authentication information related to the wearable device including a cryptographic authentication message. The modulated signal is output to a biological medium interface of the wearable device that is coupled to a biological medium of a wearer of the wearable device. The biological medium is operable to conduct the modulated signal. A receiving device processes including decrypting and demodulating the modulated signal received from the biological medium. Using the demodulated signal, the authentication information transmitted from the wearable device is obtained. Based on the obtained authentication information, a transaction may be authorized, or a user authenticated.

Systems and methods are described that can include transmitting, from a first wearable computing device, a first ultrasound signal and receiving, by the first wearable computing device and responsive to the first ultrasound signal, a second ultrasound signal from a second wearable computing device. The method can include identifying, by the first wearable computing device, a location of the second wearable computing device with respect to a location of the first wearable computing device where the location of the second wearable computing device can be identified based on a determined time-of-flight of the first ultrasound signal. The method can include establishing a wireless connection between the first wearable computing device and the second wearable computing device where the wireless connection can be based at least in part on the identifier and the identified location associated with the second wearable computing device.

According to one embodiment, an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes a transmitter/receiver and processing circuitry. The transmitter/receiver sequentially transmits a first transmission beam group and a second transmission beam group and receives at least one reception beam for each transmission beam, via an ultrasound probe having a plurality of transducers arranged along an azimuth direction and an elevation direction. The processing circuitry combines a first reception beam based on a first transmission beam included in the first transmission beam group and a second reception beam based on a second transmission beam included in the second transmission beam group. Transmission beams that are adjacent to each other in the azimuth direction or the elevation direction belong to transmission beam groups that are different from each other.

According to one embodiment, an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes a transmitter/receiver and processing circuitry. The transmitter/receiver sequentially transmits a first transmission beam group and a second transmission beam group and receives at least one reception beam for each transmission beam, via an ultrasound probe having a plurality of transducers arranged along an azimuth direction and an elevation direction. The processing circuitry combines a first reception beam based on a first transmission beam included in the first transmission beam group and a second reception beam based on a second transmission beam included in the second transmission beam group. Transmission beams that are adjacent to each other in the azimuth direction or the elevation direction belong to transmission beam groups that are different from each other.

A deployment module according to the present application enables both compact stowage of a sensor array and expansion of the sensor array into a three-dimensional volumetric array shape that enables improved directionality of the sensors during operation. The deployment module includes a support shell that is configured to retain a cable of the sensor array separately from sensors of the sensor array and an expandable deployment body formed of a superelastic shape memory alloy that uses superelasticity and stored energy for deployment of the sensor array. During deployment, the deployment body is removed from the support shell and the sensors are subsequently pulled out of the support shell. The deployment body then expands and holds the cable to retain the three-dimensional volumetric shape of the deployed array.

A deployment module according to the present application enables both compact stowage of a sensor array and expansion of the sensor array into a three-dimensional volumetric array shape that enables improved directionality of the sensors during operation. The deployment module includes a support shell that is configured to retain a cable of the sensor array separately from sensors of the sensor array and an expandable deployment body formed of a superelastic shape memory alloy that uses superelasticity and stored energy for deployment of the sensor array. During deployment, the deployment body is removed from the support shell and the sensors are subsequently pulled out of the support shell. The deployment body then expands and holds the cable to retain the three-dimensional volumetric shape of the deployed array.

In one example, an accessory device establishes a connection with a first collaboration device. An acoustic signal encoded with a token and transmitted by a second collaboration device is received at the accessory device. The acoustic signal is decoded at the accessory device to obtain the token. The token is transmitted from the accessory device to the first collaboration device for verification and pairing of the first collaboration device with the second collaboration device.

In one example, an accessory device establishes a connection with a first collaboration device. An acoustic signal encoded with a token and transmitted by a second collaboration device is received at the accessory device. The acoustic signal is decoded at the accessory device to obtain the token. The token is transmitted from the accessory device to the first collaboration device for verification and pairing of the first collaboration device with the second collaboration device.

A method of arranging a plurality of devices whose arrangement is specified by an arrangement specifying system. The arrangement specifying system specifies a correspondence of an arrangement of the devices on a drawing based on information about a distance of any two of the devices and drawing information indicating the arrangement of the devices. The method of arranging the plurality of devices includes arranging the devices such that there is one or both of no symmetric axis and no symmetric point in the arrangement of the devices.