B06B1/00

Dynamic feedback for haptics

A haptic system is described. The haptic system includes a linear resonant actuator (LRA), a receiver, and a transmitter. The LRA has a characteristic frequency and provides a vibration in response to an input signal. The receiver is configured to sense received vibration from the LRA. The transmitter is configured to provide the input signal to the LRA. The receiver is coupled with the transmitter and provides vibrational feedback based on the received vibration. The input signal incorporates the vibrational feedback.

Display apparatus
11579700 · 2023-02-14 · ·

A display apparatus includes: a display panel; an enclosure enclosing the display panel; a cover member covering a front surface of the display panel; an actuator connected to the cover member and having a function of applying vibration to the cover member; and a viscous body arranged between the display panel and the cover member. The viscous body is bonded to the display panel and the cover member, and, when a periodic stress having a vibration frequency of ½ period per second is applied to the viscous body, a dynamic elastic modulus of the viscous body is equal to or lower than 1×10.sup.−3 of Young's modulus of the viscous body.

Display apparatus
11579700 · 2023-02-14 · ·

A display apparatus includes: a display panel; an enclosure enclosing the display panel; a cover member covering a front surface of the display panel; an actuator connected to the cover member and having a function of applying vibration to the cover member; and a viscous body arranged between the display panel and the cover member. The viscous body is bonded to the display panel and the cover member, and, when a periodic stress having a vibration frequency of ½ period per second is applied to the viscous body, a dynamic elastic modulus of the viscous body is equal to or lower than 1×10.sup.−3 of Young's modulus of the viscous body.

Ultrasound transducer devices and methods for fabricating ultrasound transducer devices
11590532 · 2023-02-28 · ·

Aspects of the technology described herein relate to ultrasound transducer devices including capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers (CMUTs) and methods for forming CMUTs in ultrasound transducer devices. Some embodiments include forming a cavity of a CMUT by forming a first layer of insulating material on a first substrate, forming a second layer of insulating material on the first layer of insulating material, and then etching a cavity in the second insulating material. A second substrate may be bonded to the first substrate to seal the cavity. The first layer of insulating material may include, for example, aluminum oxide. The first substrate may include integrated circuitry. Some embodiments include forming through-silicon vias (TSVs) in the first substrate prior to forming the first and second insulating layers (TSV-Middle process) or subsequent to bonding the first and second substrates (TSV-Last process).

Adaptive cavity thickness control for micromachined ultrasonic transducer devices

A method of forming an ultrasonic transducer device includes forming and patterning a film stack over a substrate, the film stack comprising a metal electrode layer and a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) stop layer formed over the metal electrode layer; forming an insulation layer over the patterned film stack; planarizing the insulation layer to the CMP stop layer; measuring a remaining thickness of the CMP stop layer; and forming a membrane support layer over the patterned film stack, wherein the membrane support layer is formed at thickness dependent upon the measured remaining thickness of the CMP stop layer, such that a combined thickness of the CMP stop layer and the membrane support layer corresponds to a desired transducer cavity depth.

Bottom electrode via structures for micromachined ultrasonic transducer devices
11484911 · 2022-11-01 · ·

A ultrasonic transducer device includes a transducer bottom electrode layer disposed over a substrate, and a plurality of vias that electrically connect the bottom electrode layer with the substrate, wherein substantially an entirety of the plurality of vias are disposed directly below a footprint of a transducer cavity. Alternatively, the transducer bottom electrode layer includes a first metal layer in contact with the plurality of vias and a second metal layer formed on the first metal layer, the first metal layer including a same material as the plurality of vias.

Dual frequency ultrasound transducer including an ultrahigh frequency transducer stack and a low frequency ultrasound transducer stack

A dual frequency ultrasound transducer includes a high frequency ultrasound array and a low frequency transducer positioned behind or proximal to the high frequency ultrasound array. In one embodiment, a dampening material is positioned between a rear surface of the high frequency array and the a front surface of the low frequency array. The dampening preferably is high absorbing of signals at the frequency of the high frequency array but passes signals at the frequency of the low frequency transducer with little attenuation. In additional, or alternatively, the low frequency can angled with respect to the plane of the high frequency transducer to reduce inter-stack multipath reflections. Beamforming delays compensate for the differences in physical distances between the elements of the low frequency transducer and the plane of the high frequency transducer.

Focused ultrasound transducer with electrically controllable focal length

A focused ultrasonic transducer includes a piezoelectric substrate having a first face and a second face, a back metal layer disposed over the first face, and a patterned metal layer disposed over the second face. The patterned metal layer includes a first plurality of concentric ring electrodes wherein each of the first plurality of concentric ring electrodes are wired to be individually accessible. A controller actuates a subset of the concentric ring electrodes such that electrical control of focal length is achieved by selecting a group of electrodes to actuate so that acoustic waves generated from selected electrodes arrive at a desired focal length in-phase and interfere constructively to create a focal spot of high acoustic intensity. The patterned metal layer optionally includes a first central electrode that is surrounded by the first plurality of concentric ring electrodes.

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TISSUE INTERVENTION VIA IMAGE-GUIDED BOILING HISTOTRIPSY
20230190386 · 2023-06-22 · ·

One embodiment is directed to a minimally invasive system for treating a targeted tissue structure of a patient, comprising: an electromechanical support assembly having a proximal portion and a distal portion; a computing system operatively coupled to the electromechanical support assembly; and a HIFU treatment transducer array coupled to the distal portion of the electromechanical support assembly and operatively coupled to the computing system; wherein the computing system is configured to operate the electromechanical support assembly to control a position of the transducer assembly relative to the patient such that a treatment focus of the HIFU treatment transducer array is aligned to treat at least a portion of the targeted tissue structure of the patient, and to operate the HIFU treatment transducer array to controllably create a pulsatile wavefront of ultrasound radiation directed at the treatment focus, the pulsatile wavefront configured to produce one or more vapor bubbles within the targeted tissue structure and to controllably produce cavitation of the one of more vapor bubbles such that a controllably lysed portion of the targeted tissue structure is created.

VIBRATING BODY UNIT AND ULTRASONIC PROBE
20170311976 · 2017-11-02 · ·

A vibrating body unit includes a vibration generator, a vibration transmitter and first amplitude enlarger. The vibration generator generates ultrasonic vibration whose amplitude has a predetermined correlation with a frequency. The vibration transmitter has a proximal end and a distal end while the vibration generator is attached from a proximal side, and transmits the ultrasonic vibration to a distal side in a longitudinal axis direction. At least one first amplitude enlarger is provided in the vibration transmitter, and enlarges the amplitude of the ultrasonic vibration at a first amplitude enlargement rate in a direction of transmission of the ultrasonic vibration, the first amplitude enlargement rate having a correlation with the frequency opposite to the predetermined correlation.