The ultrasound imaging apparatus provided to quantify the degree of flash artifacts based on an ultrasound echo signal, and to notify a user of an image section with a severe flash artifact includes: a probe configured to irradiate an ultrasound signal to an object and receive an ultrasound echo signal reflected from the object; an image processor configured to obtain a color Doppler signal from which the clutter signal is removed by filtering the ultrasound echo signal, obtain a plurality of consecutive Doppler image frames based on the color Doppler signal and generate a Doppler image based on the plurality of Doppler image frames; a display configured to output the Doppler image; and a controller configured to calculate a flash artifact score of each of the plurality of Doppler image frames based on the ultrasound echo signal, generate a time line corresponding to the plurality of Doppler image frames and control the display so that flash artifact scores of each of the plurality of Doppler image frames appear on the timeline.

Devices, systems, and methods are disclosed for use in tomographic ultrasound imaging, large aperture ultrasound imaging and therapeutic ultrasound that provide for coupling acoustic signal transducers to body structures for transmitting and receiving acoustic signals. The acoustic signal transmission couplants can conform to the receiving medium (e.g., skin) of the subject such that there is an acoustic impedance matching between the receiving medium and the transducer. In one aspect, an acoustic coupling medium includes a hydrogel including polymerizable material that form a network structured to entrap an aqueous fluid inside the hydrogel. The hydrogel is structured to conform to the receiving body, and the acoustic coupling medium is operable to conduct acoustic signals between acoustic signal transducer elements and a receiving medium when the hydrogel is in contact with the receiving body such that there is an acoustic impedance matching between the receiving medium and the acoustic signal transducer elements.

An ultrasound probe comprises an optical light guide comprising a multi-mode optical waveguide for transmitting excitation light and a single-mode optical waveguide for transmitting interrogation light. The probe further comprises an ultrasound transmitter located at a distal end of the probe, the ultrasound transmitter comprising an optically absorbing material for absorbing the excitation light from the multi-mode optical waveguide to generate an ultrasound beam via the photoacoustic effect. The probe further comprises an ultrasound receiver including an optical cavity external to the single-mode optical waveguide. The interrogation light from the single-mode optical waveguide is provided to the ultrasound receiver. The optical cavity has a reflectivity that is modulated by impinging ultrasound waves. The interrogation light is reflected from the optical cavity to a proximal end of the single-mode optical waveguide where it can be received for generating a signal. At least a portion of the ultrasound probe is configured to rotate so that the ultrasound beam is transmitted in a rotating direction.

Disclosed herein are ultrasonic transducer systems comprising: an ultrasonic imager comprising a plurality of pMUT transducer elements; and one or more circuitries connected electronically to the plurality of transducer element, the one or more circuitries configured to enable: pulse transmission and reception of reflected signal for the ultrasonic transducer; and control of the ultrasonic transducer, the control of the ultrasonic transducer comprising focusing ultrasonic beam in an elevation direction.

Novel tools and techniques for acoustic array detection and imaging are provided. A system includes an acoustic array comprising one or more array panels. Each of the one or more array panels includes a transceiver array of one or more acoustic transceivers, each acoustic transceiver further including a transmitter element configured to generate sound and a receiver element to capture sound. A driver circuit is coupled to a first transceiver array of a first array panel of the one or more array panels, the driver circuit configured to drive individually each transmitter element and each receiver element of the first transceiver array. A controller interface is coupled to the driver circuit, and a controller coupled to the controller interface.

The present disclosure provides a system and method for real-time visualization of a material during ultrasonic non-destructive testing. The system includes a graphical user interface (GUI) capable of showing a three-dimensional (3-D) image of a composite laminate constructed of a series of two-dimensional (2-D) cross sections. The GUI is capable of displaying the 3-D image as each additional 2-D cross section is scanned by an ultrasonic testing apparatus in real time or near real time, including probable defect regions that contain a flaw such as a hole, crack, wrinkle, or foreign object within the composite. Furthermore, in one embodiment, the system includes an artificial intelligence capable of highlighting defect areas within the 3-D image in real time or near real time and providing data regarding each defect area, such as the depth, size, and/or type of each defect.

Provided is an ultrasound probe. The ultrasound probe may maintain temperature of an acoustic module predetermined temperature or less even when an image processor is disposed in a rear direction of the acoustic module inside a housing. For purpose, the ultrasound probe may include at least one anisotropic heat conductive member such that heat from the acoustic module is transferred to a first heat sink member disposed in a rear direction of the image processor.

An imaging system includes: a transceiver cell for generating a pressure wave and converting an external pressure wave into an electrical signal; and a control unit for controlling an operation of the transceiver cell. The transceiver cell includes: a substrate; at least one membrane suspending from the substrate; and a plurality of transducer elements mounted on the at least one membrane. Each of the plurality of transducer elements has a bottom electrode, a piezoelectric layer on bottom electrode, and at least one top electrode on the piezoelectric layer. Each of the plurality of transducer element generates a bending moment in response to applying an electrical potential across the bottom electrode and the at least one top electrode and develops an electrical charge in response to a bending moment due to the external pressure wave.

A transducer array for an ultrasound imaging system includes a substrate and a single array comprising individual sub-sets of transducer elements disposed on the substrate, wherein the individual sub-sets are physically separate from each other and spatially arranged contiguous to each other. An apparatus includes a transducer array with a substrate and a single array comprising individual sub-sets of transducer elements disposed on the substrate, wherein the individual sub-sets are not in physical contact with each other and are serially arranged with respect to each other. The apparatus further includes transmit circuitry that conveys an excitation pulse to the transducer array, receive circuitry that receives a signal indicative of an ultrasound echo from the transducer array, and a beamformer that processes the received signal, generating ultrasound image data.

There is provided, for example, an ultrasonic probe capable of improving the accuracy of testing of a curved-surface structure. An array sensor (ultrasonic array sensor) includes multiple elements (oscillators) to generate an ultrasonic wave. Water (propagation member) is disposed between the array sensor and steel (test target) to propagate the ultrasonic wave. At least one reflection section reflects the ultrasonic wave reflected and returned from the surface of or the inside of the steel, and causes the ultrasonic wave to fall on any of the elements.