An acoustic wave receiving apparatus is used, which includes: a holding member; a reception transducer array; a liquid vessel to which the reception transducer array is fixed and configured to store an acoustic matching liquid; a liquid supplying unit; a controlling unit configured to control a supplying rate of the acoustic matching liquid; and a scanning unit, wherein the controlling unit is configured to reduce the supply of the acoustic matching liquid into the liquid vessel when the reception transducer array detects an acoustic wave.

1.sup.st and 2.sup.nd pulsed waves (103, 104) with 1.sup.st and 2.sup.nd center frequencies are transmitted along 1.sup.st and 2.sup.nd transmit beams so that the 1.sup.st and 2.sup.nd pulsed waves overlap at least in an overlap region (Z) to produce nonlinear interaction scattering sources in said region. The scattered signal components from at least the nonlinear interaction scattering sources are picked up by a receiver (102) and processed to suppress other components than said nonlinear interaction scattered signal components, to provide nonlinear interaction measurement or image signals. At least a receive beam is scanned in an azimuth or combined azimuth and elevation direction to produce 2D or 3D images of said nonlinear interaction scattering sources.

Provided is a device that transmits and receives an ultrasonic wave to and from an entire periphery of a specimen while preventing a movement of the specimen. An ultrasonic wave transmission and reception device includes: an oscillator array that is arrayed with an oscillator, the oscillator transmitting and receiving an ultrasonic wave; a fixing tool that is disposed between the oscillator array and the specimen and retains the specimen; and a drive mechanism that presses at least a part of the fixing tool against the specimen as to retain the specimen. An ultrasonic wave transmitted by the oscillator array passes through the fixing tool and irradiates on the specimen, and as for the oscillator array, the oscillator array and the fixing tool are disposed in a positional relationship such that the ultrasonic wave reflected by and/or passing through by the specimen and passing through the fixing tool is received.

An imaging system (300) includes a transducer array (308) with a transducer element (310) with at least two faces (402, 904). Each face faces a different direction. The transducer element includes at least two sub-elements (404, 902). Each sub-element is part of a different face. The at least two sub-elements transmit respective beams at each location along a scan path (806).

A processing system and a confocal processing method for confocally emitting and receiving ultrasound. Firstly, a first driving electrical signal is generated. Then, at least one first ultrasound signal having a main frequency is emitted to a reflection position according to the first driving electrical signal. With an object at the reflection position, the first ultrasound signal is reflected to form at least one second ultrasound signal. Then, a first analyzed signal whose frequency lower than the main frequency is retrieved from the second ultrasound signal, and other signals are eliminated from the second ultrasound signal, and the first analyzed signal is converted into at least one first analogous signal. Finally, first energy of a first fixed bandwidth of the first analyzed signal is retrieved by the first analogous signal. The method stops generating the first driving electrical signal when the first energy is larger than a predetermined value.

A device, system, and method for volumetric ultrasound imaging is described. The device and system include an array of transducer elements grouped in triangular planar facets and substantially configured in the shape of a hemisphere to form a cup-shaped volumetric imaging region within the cavity of the hemisphere, A plurality of data-acquisition assemblies are connected to the transducers, which are configured to collect ultrasound signals received from the transducers and transmit image data to a network of processors that are configured to construct a volumetric image of an object within the imaging region based on the image data received from the data-acquisition assemblies.

Ultrasound tomography imaging methods for imaging a tissue medium with one or more ultrasound transducer arrays comprising a plurality of transducers, wherein said transducers comprise source transducers, receiving transducers. The methods include assigning a phase value or time delay to source transducers, exciting the transducers and calculating a search direction based on data relating to the excited transducers.

Systems and methods for network-based ultrasound imaging are provided, which can include a number of features. In some embodiments, an ultrasound imaging system images an object with three-dimensional unfocused pings and obtains digital sample sets from a plurality of receiver elements. A sub-set of the digital sample sets can be electronically transferred to a remote server, where the sub-set can be beamformed to produce a series of two-dimensional image frames. A video stream made up of the series of two-dimensional images frames can then be transferred from the remote server to a display device.

An ultrasonic non-destructive testing method and device for rail applications uses a plurality of phased array transducers to inspect aluminothermit weld defects located in a head portion, a web portion, an ankle portion, and a toe portion of a weld of a rail section. The method includes: scanning the head portion of the weld including: a first phased array transducer positioned above the weld and a second phased array transducer positioned a distance from the first phased array transducer to provide inclined access to the weld; and scanning the toe portion of the weld including: positioning pairs of third, fourth, and fifth phased array transducers on a surface of the toe portion, such that the pairs of third, fourth and fifth phased array transducers are disposed symmetrically with one of the pair on each side of the toe portion.

The technology concerning improvement of resolution of an acoustic wave sensor having a hemispherical shape or the like is provided. An ultrasonic transducer unit includes an ultrasonic transducer having a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements, and a probe casing configured to support a plurality of the ultrasonic transducers, and to have a concave portion facing a subject. The plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements is arranged on a same plane facing a center of curvature of the probe casing. The plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements is arranged in a rotationally symmetrical manner about a normal line connecting the center of curvature of the probe casing to a point on a plane of the ultrasonic transducer.