A system and method for detecting an anomaly in a structure using an adaptive filter to compensate for variations in piezoelectric transducer performance due to environmental factors such as temperature. A first voltage signal having a first amplitude is sent to a reference piezoelectric actuator. Thereafter, a first reference voltage signal is received from a reference piezoelectric receiver which is acoustically coupled to detect the guided wave generated by the reference piezoelectric actuator. A second amplitude is determined using an optimization algorithm of an adaptive filter to compensate for nonlinear behavior of the reference piezoelectric actuator and receiver based on the first reference voltage signal. Then the adaptive filter sends a second voltage signal having the second amplitude to the reference and test piezoelectric actuators. Reference and test voltage signals are received from the reference and test piezoelectric receivers in response to the second voltage signal. A difference voltage signal representing differences between the reference and test voltage signals received is then recorded.

A method of automatically inspecting a weld bead deposited in a plurality of passes in a chamfer formed between two parts by performing the following steps: positioning at least one emission electromagnetic acoustic sensor on one side of the chamfer and at least one reception electromagnetic acoustic sensor on an opposite side of the chamfer, the ultrasound wave emission sensor being configured to emit Rayleigh surface waves; while depositing a pass, automatically moving the sensors to follow the movement of welding electrodes along the chamfer; activating the sensors while they are moving to enable the emission sensor to generate and emit Rayleigh waves towards the pass of the weld bead that is being deposited, the reception sensor receiving the ultrasound signals transmitted and/or reflected in said pass; and reiterating the operation for the entire pass of the weld bead.

A non-destructive process of inspecting an object can include positioning a first and second ultrasonic element relative to the body of the object and offsetting the first and second ultrasonic elements in a direction orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the body. A further process of inspecting an object can include creating a map of the body of the object including at least one anomaly and providing a quality value associated with the body based on evaluation of one or more criteria selected from the group consisting of the type, number, size, shape, position, orientation, edge sharpness, and any combination thereof of the at least one anomaly. An ultrasonic system can include a first and second ultrasonic element and a processing element. The process element can be configured to create a map of the body including at least one anomaly and provide a quality value associated with the body based on evaluation of one or more criteria selected from the group consisting of the type, number, size, shape, position, orientation, edge sharpness, and any combination thereof of the at least one anomaly.

A multi-path acoustic signal apparatus, system, and apparatus for use in material detection are provided. The apparatus has a plurality of acoustic sensors positioned along a first portion of a fluid container. At least one acoustic signal is transmitted into the fluid container by each of the plurality of acoustic sensors. At least one additional acoustic sensor is positioned along a second portion of the fluid container, wherein the second portion is substantially opposite the first portion. The at least one additional acoustic sensor receives at least a portion of the acoustic signals from the plurality of acoustic sensors. A reflected acoustic signal is generated from an impedance barrier between the fluid container and a fluid therein. A characteristic of a material of the fluid container and/or the fluid therein are determined.

Systems and techniques for measuring process characteristics including electrolyte distribution in a battery cell. A non-destructive method for analyzing a battery cell includes determining acoustic features at two or more locations of the battery cell, the acoustic features based on one or more of acoustic signals travelling through at least one or more portions of the battery cell during one or more points in time or responses to the acoustic signals obtained during one or more points in time, wherein the one or more points in time correspond to one or more stages of electrolyte distribution in the battery cell. One or more characteristics of the battery cell are determined based on the acoustic features at the two or more locations of the battery cell.

Systems and methods for integrating a three-dimensional X-ray computed tomography system with an independent sound wave system to determine mechanical properties of tissue using signals from the sound wave system. Methods are disclosed that generate a numerical simulation and take the transmitted wave signals as the optimization objective to estimate modulus distribution of the tissue. Further, the mechanical properties of the tissue are reconstructed based on an inverse algorithm.

A system for measuring a number of layers in a layered environment includes an ultrasound transducer positioned at an exterior surface of a first layer at a first location. At least one receiving sensor is positioned perpendicular to the exterior surface of the first layer at a second location. The ultrasound transducer and the at least one receiving sensor are in communication with a computer processor, power source, and computer-readable memory. The ultrasound transducer is configured to emit a first ultrasound signal into the first layer at the first location. The at least one receiving sensor is configured to receive a plurality of propagated ultrasound signals. The processor is configured to determine a total number of layers in the layered environment based on at least one from the set of: a number of signals received and a number of propagation direction changes only of the first ultrasound signal.

An acoustic monitoring system for detecting a condition of an air filter, the acoustic monitoring system including: a first acoustic transducer upstream with respect to airflow over the air filter; a second acoustic transducer upstream with respect to airflow over the air filter; a third acoustic transducer downstream with respect to airflow over the air filter; a fourth acoustic transducer downstream with respect to airflow over the air filter; a control unit in communication with the first acoustic transducer, the second acoustic transducer, the third acoustic transducer and the fourth acoustic transducer; the control unit configured to determine a filter attenuation value in response to one or more SPL values measured by at least one of the first acoustic transducer, the second acoustic transducer, the third acoustic transducer and the fourth acoustic transducer.

Embodiments include a novel, easy to install, non-intrusive, ultrasonic water flow meter with a self-calibrating three-piezoelectric transducer configuration attached externally to a water pipe, that allows for accurate measurement of water flow, and can provide the flow data to a remote system for billing and further analysis. The water flow data can further be analyzed for water consumption by individual fixtures, in support of conservation and usage management efforts.

A method for checking an ultrasound probe which includes taking a measurement using the probe bonded to the part and in comparing the results with a prerecorded reference recording, and, if there is divergence, in using a tool previously used to produce the reference recording to identify whether the probe is not bonded or not working properly. Such a checking method makes it possible to check the state of the probe without having to remove it.