A method of maintaining a constant movement of a cutting blade of an ultrasonic waveguide includes providing an ultrasonic transducer operable to convert a received motional current into a movement of a cutting blade of an ultrasonic waveguide, a measurement circuit connected in a parallel configuration with the ultrasonic transducer, and a variable power source operable to supply current through a set of connection points to the parallel configuration and thereby create the motional current in the ultrasonic transducer. Current is supplied through a set of connection points of the parallel configuration with the variable power source to, thereby, create the motional current in the ultrasonic transducer and the motional current is regulated with a current controller by varying an output of the power source, thereby maintaining a substantially constant rate of movement of the cutting blade across a variety of cutting loads.

An ultrasonic surgical device comprises a handle assembly, a shaft assembly, and a removable transducer module. The transducer module includes a waveguide, a locking mechanism, and an electronics assembly including at least one button. The handle assembly includes a trigger assembly configured to actuate the button(s) of the electronics assembly when the transducer module is coupled with the handle assembly. The shaft assembly engages the waveguide of the transducer module and is disposed at the distal end of the handle assembly. The distal end of the shaft assembly includes a harmonic blade. When assembled with the handle assembly, the transducer module is capable of providing ultrasonic energy to the harmonic blade.

The present disclosure relates to the bulk manufacture of transducer arrays, including arrays having at least one 3D printed (or otherwise additive manufactured) acoustic matching layers. In certain implementations, the manufactured transducers include a composite-piezoelectric transducer on a de-matching layer. In one implementation, by producing multiple arrays at once on a common carrier, and by using direct-deposit additive processes for the matching layers, the described processes greatly reduce the number of parts and the number of manual operations.

A method of manufacture and structure for an acoustic resonator device having a hybrid piezoelectric stack with a strained single crystal layer and a thermally-treated polycrystalline layer. The method can include forming a strained single crystal piezoelectric layer overlying the nucleation layer and having a strain condition and piezoelectric layer parameters, wherein the strain condition is modulated by nucleation growth parameters and piezoelectric layer parameters to improve one or more piezoelectric properties of the strained single crystal piezoelectric layer. Further, the method can include forming a polycrystalline piezoelectric layer overlying the strained single crystal piezoelectric layer, and performing a thermal treatment on the polycrystalline piezoelectric layer to form a recrystallized polycrystalline piezoelectric layer. The resulting device with this hybrid piezoelectric stack exhibits improved electromechanical coupling and wide bandwidth performance.

A method of making a temperature-compensated resonator is presented. The method comprises the steps of: (a) providing a substrate including a device layer; (b) replacing material from the device layer with material having an opposite temperature coefficient of elasticity (TCE) along a pre-determined region of high strain energy density for the resonator; (c) depositing a capping layer over the replacement material; and (d) etch-releasing the resonator from the substrate. The resonator may be a part of a micro electromechanical system (MEMS).

A stub of a via formed in a printed circuit board is backdrilled to a predetermined depth. A capacitance probe is positioned within the via. Then the capacitance probe is used to obtain a test capacitance measurement. The test capacitance measurement is compared to a predetermined baseline capacitance measurement. Residual conductive plating material in the backdrilled stub causes the test capacitance measurement to exceed the predetermined baseline capacitance measurement. An indication is made that the predetermined baseline capacitance measurement has been exceeded.

A cable assembly for electronic devices such as cellular telephones and music devices is disclosed. The cable assembly can comprise either one or two earpieces, each of which is configured to be received into the concha of a user's ear. The earpiece(s) can be configured so as to be held in place by at least one anatomical structure of the concha. A speaker can be in acoustic communication with each earpiece. A cable can be configured to communicate a signal representative of sound from the electronic device to each earpiece. A microphone can be permanently attached or removably attachable to the cable to facilitate use with a cellular telephone. The cable assembly can facilitate hands free operation of a cellular telephone and can facilitate listening to a music device. Other implementations and related methods are also disclosed.

A backing includes a plurality of backing plates that are laminated. Each backing plate includes a lead row and a backing material. Each lead includes a lead wire and an insulating coating. The insulating coating is integrated with the backing material, and an adhesive layer between them does not exist. Short-circuit between the leads may be prevented or reduced by the insulating coating. The backing plate is manufactured by a screen printing method.

Certain exemplary embodiments relate to entertainment systems that interact with users to provide access to media appropriate to and/or customized for a particular user using the entertainment system, the location at which the entertainment system is being accessed, and/or a predefined event. For example, in certain exemplary embodiments, an entertainment system in a location is configured to provide jukebox-related and entertainment system mediated services that are accessible from within and from the outside of the location, and provide (1) attract or flight media operations, (2) browsing services, and/or (3) search screens appropriate to and/or customized for a particular user using the entertainment system, the location at which the entertainment system is being accessed, and/or a predefined event. Such screens may be provided with a three-dimensional look-and-feel in certain exemplary embodiments.

A method for making thermoacoustic device includes following steps. A silicon substrate having a first surface and second surface opposite to the first surface is provided. The first surface is patterned by forming a plurality of grooves substantially oriented along a first direction, wherein the plurality of grooves is spaced from each other, and a bulge is formed between each two adjacent grooves. An insulating layer is coated on the patterned surface. A first electrode and a second electrode are formed on the insulating layer, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are spaced from each other. A carbon nanotube structure is applied on the insulating layer, wherein the carbon nanotube structure is electrically connected to the first electrode and the second electrode, the carbon nanotube structure is suspended above the plurality of grooves.