The present disclosure provides a method of fabricating an ultrasound transducer. A substrate having a first side and a second side opposite the first side is provided. A bottom electrode is formed over the first side of the substrate. A piezoelectric element is formed over the bottom electrode. The piezoelectric element has a chamfered sidewall. A top electrode is formed over the piezoelectric element. A step metal element is formed over a portion of the top electrode proximate to the chamfered sidewall of the piezoelectric element.

The invention provides an electroactive material (preferably electroactive polymer) sensor system, comprising an electroactive material sensor (22) and a control system (28) for performing measurements relating to the impedance of the electroactive material sensor at at least first and second different frequencies. From these measurements a temperature at the sensor and an external pressure or force applied to the sensor can be determined. The sensor can thus be used as a pressure sensor and as a temperature sensor. When used in combination with actuation, an electroactive material actuator with integrated temperature sensing functionality is able to measure the temperature at the exact actuator position, which is always closer than an external thermocouple.

Systems, methods, and apparatuses for non-invasively measuring volumes of a body cavity by a wearable ultrasonic device are provided. The wearable ultrasonic device can collect data related to the body cavity perform diagnostic measurements associated with the body cavity to provide alerts to user. The wearable ultrasonic device can be affixed to the skin of a user's body. The wearable ultrasonic device can include an ultrasonic transducer that transmits and receives ultrasonic signals directed toward the body cavity such as a user's urinary bladder. The device can include processing electronics coupled to the ultrasonic transducer to process the ultrasonic signals to determine the volume of the body cavity and transmit alerts to the user when the volume reaches a particular threshold. The processing electronics can be integrated with the ultrasonic transducer to operate at low voltages and be battery powered.

An ultrasonic transducer element chip includes a substrate defining an opening, an ultrasonic transducer element disposed at a position corresponding to the opening in a thickness direction of the substrate, and a reinforcing member connected to the substrate to cover the opening. The reinforcing member defines a ventilation passage from the opening to an outside of the substrate.

An ultrasonic device includes a base in which a base layer of a vibrating film is formed in every opening that is disposed in an array; an interconnect layer, which is a conductor, formed on the base layer; an insulating film that is formed on the interconnect layer, and forms a laminated structure with respect to the base layer; a plurality of piezoelectric elements that are separated from the interconnect layer by the insulating film, the piezoelectric elements each including a first electrode and a second electrode that sandwich a piezoelectric film on the insulating film; and a through conductor that passes through the insulating film, and connects at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode to the conductor constituting the interconnect layer.

A solder-free sensing device includes a connecting assembly and a sensor. The connecting assembly includes a main body and at least two connecting pins engaged in the main body. The main body defines a receiving groove to receive the sensor. The sensor includes a first electrode layer and a second electrode layer insulated from the first electrode layer. Each connecting pin includes an end portion and an extending portion extending from the end portion. The end portion of each connecting pin is engaged in the receiving groove. The extending portion of each connecting pin extends through the main body to the outside of the main body. The sensor is electrically coupled to an external system by the at least two connecting pins.

A piezoelectric device comprising a substrate having a cavity, a piezoelectric film covering the cavity and being supported by the substrate, and electrodes disposed so as to sandwich the piezoelectric film. The piezoelectric film has a convex-shaped or concave-shaped vibrating region disposed on the cavity. The vibrating region is configured by a single-layer piezoelectric film including a first region composed of a first piezoelectric material and a second region composed of a second piezoelectric material having a piezoelectric constant larger than that of the first piezoelectric material. A first electrode and a second electrode are disposed so as to sandwich the second region of the piezoelectric film, a first input signal is converted to a first output signal based on displacement at the second region of the piezoelectric film between these electrodes, and a piezoelectric device comprising a convex-shaped vibrating region with high power and high sensitivity is provided.

A structurally integral multilaminar planer device is provided where the layers are bonded without use of adhesive. The device includes a perforated metal plate and a transductive ceramic layer. The perforated metal plate and transductive ceramic layer are bonded by a conductive metal ink that is subject to a thermal cycle process.

The piezoelectric element includes a piezoelectric composite including a plurality of piezoelectrics and a reaction product, and an electrode pair. The plurality of piezoelectrics is disposed in alignment at an interval of 1 to 10 ?m. The aspect ratio of each of the piezoelectrics is 5 or higher. The reaction product is a reaction product of a crosslinkable epoxy resin composition containing an elastomer component, a crosslinkable epoxy resin, and a crosslinking agent. One or each of a number of epoxy groups per molecule of the crosslinkable epoxy resin and a crosslinking value of the crosslinking agent is 3 or more.

A basketball that uses compression or decompression of piezo elements to produce current that charges a rechargeable battery in the basketball. The current is generated by the piezo elements that are placed between an inner shell and an outer shell of the basketball so that the bouncing of the basketball creates current to charge the battery. The charged battery can be coupled to an electronic device (e.g., smartphone) to charge the electronic device.