A focused extracorporeal shock wave therapy (f-ESWT) system includes an f-ESWT device and a plurality of interchangeable standoff structures. The f-ESWT device includes a housing. The f-ESWT device is configured to generate a focused shock wave as a combination of a plurality of individual shock waves. Each standoff structure is configured for removable connection to the housing to receive and to transmit the plurality of individual shock waves. Each standoff structure of the plurality of interchangeable standoff structures includes a rigid exterior shell defining a shell space, and an elastomeric interior at least partially located in the shell space. The plurality of individual shock waves is transmitted through the rigid exterior shell and the elastomeric interior of a selected standoff structure of the plurality of interchangeable standoff structures that is removably connected to the housing.

A method of generating a focused shock wave with a handheld focused extracorporeal shock wave therapy (f-ESWT) device includes driving a plurality of piezoelectric elements to generate a focused shock wave based on a first plurality of time delays when a first standoff structure is removably connected to a handheld housing of the f-ESWT device, and driving the plurality of piezoelectric elements to generate the focused shock wave based on a second plurality of time delays when a second standoff structure is removably connected to the handheld housing of the f-ESWT device, the second plurality of time delays different from the first plurality of time delays, and the second standoff structure different from the first standoff structure.

This application relates to methods and apparatus for driving a transducer with switching drivers. A driver circuit has first and second switching drivers for driving the transducer in a bridge-tied-load configuration, each of the switching drivers having a respective output stage for controllably switching the respective driver output node between high and low switching voltages with a controlled duty cycle. Each of switching drivers is operable in a plurality of different driver modes, wherein the switching voltages are different in said different driver modes. A controller controls the driver mode of operation and the duty cycle of the switching drivers based on the input signal. The controller is configured to control the duty cycles of the first and second switching drivers within defined minimum and maximum limits of duty cycles; and to transition between driver modes of operation when the duty cycle of one of the switching drivers reaches a duty cycle limit.

Systems and methods for utilizing a hybrid transmitter in an ultrasound system. A system can include a hybrid transmitter configured to transmit ultrasound waves toward a subject area. The hybrid transmitter can comprise a linear transmitter configured to generate linear transmitter output and a switching transmitter configured to generate switching transmitter output. The hybrid transmitter can also comprise a summer configured to sum the linear transmitter output and the switching transmitter output to generate hybrid transmitter output for driving a transducer load to generate the ultrasound waves transmitted towards the subject area. The ultrasound system can also comprise a receiver configured to receive one or more ultrasound waves from the subject area in response to the ultrasound waves transmitted toward the subject area for generating ultrasound images of the subject area.

Disclosed are systems and methods of operation for capacitive radio frequency micro-electromechanical switches, such as CMUT cells for use in an ultrasound system. An RFMEMS may include substrate, a first electrode connected to the substrate, a membrane and a second electrode connected to the membrane. In some examples, there is a dielectric stack between the first and second electrodes. The dielectric stack design minimizes drift in the membrane collapse voltage. In other examples, a voltage supply coupled to an ultrasonic array compressing the CMUT cells is adapted to provide a sequence of voltage profiles to the electrodes of the CMUT cell, wherein each profile includes a bias voltage and a stimulus voltage, and wherein a polarity of each subsequent voltage profile in the sequence is opposite to the polarity of the preceding profile. In another example, there is a capacitance sensing circuit provided, which is arranged to determine a drift voltage of the CMUT cell.

An ultrasound system, probe and method are provided. The ultrasound system includes a transducer with piezoelectric transducer elements polarized in a poling direction. A bipolar transmit circuit is configured to generate a transmit signal having first and second polarity segments. The first and second polarity segments have corresponding first and second peak amplitudes. A bias generator is configured to generate a bias signal in a direction of the poling direction. The bias signal is combined with the transmit signal to form a biased transmit signal that is shifted in the direction of the poling direction and still includes both of positive and negative voltages over a transmit cycle.

An electronic apparatus to which an external apparatus is detachably attachable includes a controlling unit configured to make a vibration device vibrate by using a vibration parameter corresponding to a type of the external apparatus to be attached to the electronic apparatus, the vibration device being provided on at least one of the electronic apparatus and the external apparatus.

A display device, a method for producing a display device, and a gesture recognition method are disclosed. The display device includes a display module including a base and an array substrate, a resin layer, a first electrode layer, a pixel definition layer, a light-emitting unit layer, a second electrode layer disposed opposite to the first electrode layer, and an encapsulation layer. The light-emitting unit layer is between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer and includes a plurality of light-emitting units respectively in a plurality of openings of the pixel definition layer, and an ultrasonic sensor including the second electrode layer, a piezoelectric material layer between the first electrode layer and the pixel definition layer, and a third electrode layer between the pixel definition layer and the resin layer. The piezoelectric material layer includes a plurality of piezoelectric material units separated by the plurality of light-emitting units.

Amplifier architecture that allows low-cost class-D audio amplifiers to be compatible with ultrasonic signals, as well as loads presented by thin-film ultrasonic transducers. The amplifier architecture replaces the traditional capacitor used as an output filter in the class-D amplifier with the natural capacitance of the ultrasonic transducer load, and employs relative impedance magnitudes to create an under-damped low-pass filter that boosts voltage in the ultrasonic frequency band of interest. The amplifier architecture includes a secondary feedback loop to ensure that correct output voltage levels are provided.

Aspects of the technology described herein relate to ultrasound circuits that employ a differential ultrasonic transducer element, such as a differential micromachined ultrasonic transducer (MUT) element. The differential ultrasonic transducer element may be coupled to an integrated circuit that is configured to operate the differential ultrasonic transducer element in one or more modes of operation, such as a differential receive mode, a differential transmit mode, a single-ended receive mode, and a single-ended transmit mode.