Examples of the disclosure are directed to micro-machined ultrasonic transducers (MUTs) which can be embedded into a flexible band of a watch to detect touch, gestures, physiological signals, and transfer data. In some examples, the MUTs can include a piezoelectric material disposed between two electrodes and coupled to a base material having a plurality of cavities, to support motion of the transducer structure. In some examples, the MUTs can be coupled to multiplexing circuitry to stimulate, configure and control the MUTs. In some examples, the size, shape, and arrangement of transducers can be changed to improve characteristics associated with ultrasonic transmission. In some examples, the MUT array can be driven (e.g., by the CMOS circuitry) to beamform the transmitted and/or the received ultrasonic waves. In some examples, the one or more MUT arrays can be configured to generate haptic feedback via the flexible band.

A piezoelectric element includes a piezoelectric body including a piezoelectric material, and a first electrode and a second electrode provided on the piezoelectric body. The piezoelectric body includes a base and a plurality of drivers. The base includes a first main surface and a second main surface opposing each other. The plurality of drivers is arranged on the first main surface in such a way as to be separate from each other. Each of the plurality of drivers includes a third main surface contacting the first main surface and a fourth main surface opposing the third main surface. The base includes a plurality of first regions in which the plurality of drivers is provided and a second region provided between the first regions adjacent to each other. The base is curved.

An ultrasound transducer unit includes: a plurality of units each of which includes a piezoelectric element group, a wiring substrate that includes a plurality of wiring lines that are electrically connected to piezoelectric elements included in the piezoelectric element group, and a cable group that is electrically connected to the wiring lines included in the wiring substrate, that extends in a direction intersecting a longitudinal direction of each of the piezoelectric elements included in the piezoelectric element group, and that is formed into a helical shape; an outer surface support that supports, by using an outer surface of the outer surface support, the piezoelectric element group included in each of the plurality of units; and an inner surface support that supports an inner surface of the outer surface support. Cable groups included in the plurality of units constitute a multiple helical structure.

An ultrasound transducer unit including a plurality of ultrasound transducers transmits and receives ultrasound waves to and from an inside of a subject. In a case where a checking operation unit is operated, a controller controls a driving voltage supply unit such that a driving voltage is supplied with all of the plurality of ultrasound transducers as driving target transducers. In a case where the checking operation unit is operated, a depolarization determination unit calculates, for each ultrasound transducer, a reception sensitivity in a case where an ultrasound wave is received by driving all of the plurality of ultrasound transducers as the driving target transducers, and determines whether or not a depolarization determination value calculated from the reception sensitivity of each ultrasound transducer satisfies numerical conditions. If the numerical conditions are satisfied, a polarization voltage supply unit supplies a polarization voltage to each of the plurality of ultrasound transducers.

PMUT acoustic transducer formed in a body of semiconductor material having a face and accommodating a plurality of first buried cavities, having an annular shape, arranged concentrically with each other and extending at a distance from the face of the body. The first buried cavities delimit from below a plurality of first membranes formed by the body so that each first membrane extends between a respective first buried cavity of the plurality of first buried cavities and the face of the body. A plurality of piezoelectric elements extend on the face of the body, each piezoelectric element extending above a respective first membrane of the plurality of first membranes. The first membranes have different widths, variable between a minimum value and a maximum value.

A control circuit of an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus having an ultrasound endoscope controls a transmission circuit to generate a transmission signal, which includes a diagnostic driving pulse applied to each of a plurality of ultrasound transducers that generate ultrasound waves for acquiring an ultrasound image, in the case of acquiring the ultrasound image, and controls the transmission circuit to generate a polarization driving pulse, which has a polarization driving voltage different from voltage of the diagnostic driving pulse within the same settable voltage range as the diagnostic driving pulse and has a frequency different from a probe frequency band for acquiring the ultrasound image, in order to perform the polarization processing of the plurality of ultrasound transducers in the case of performing the polarization processing.

An ultrasound transducer unit including a plurality of ultrasound transducers transmits and receives ultrasound waves to and from an inside of a subject. In a case where a checking operation unit is operated, a controller controls a driving voltage supply unit such that a driving voltage is supplied with all of the plurality of ultrasound transducers as driving target transducers. In a case where the checking operation unit is operated, a depolarization determination unit calculates, for each ultrasound transducer, a reception sensitivity in a case where an ultrasound wave is received by driving all of the plurality of ultrasound transducers as the driving target transducers, and determines whether or not a depolarization determination value calculated from the reception sensitivity of each ultrasound transducer satisfies numerical conditions. If the numerical conditions are satisfied, a polarization voltage supply unit supplies a polarization voltage to each of the plurality of ultrasound transducers.

Disclosed is an ultrasound vortex energy injection device configured in such a way as to disperse ultrasound waves without focusing the ultrasound waves with respect to an area coming in contact with a human body, and at the same time, apply a vortex-type stimulus in a circumferential direction of an area getting in contact with the human body with respect to a plurality of piezoelectric elements arranged to be spaced apart from one another in a circumferential direction (clockwise or counterclockwise) of an area opposed to the human body where ultrasound waves are transmitted.

An ultrasound probe includes: an acoustic matching layer having a sheet-shaped member whose both ends are bonded together by adhesive to define a cylindrical shape and configured to adjust acoustic impedance of ultrasound; piezoelectric elements arranged along a circumferential direction on an inner periphery of the acoustic matching layer and configured to emit ultrasound in response to an input signal and configured to convert ultrasound from outside into an echo signal; a disc-shaped structural member provided on one end side of the acoustic matching layer in a longitudinal direction orthogonal to the circumferential direction, a part of an outer side surface of the structural member being fixed inside the acoustic matching layer. The structural member has a water repellent portion on a part of the outer side surface such that the water repellent portion faces, in a radial direction, a gap between the both ends of the acoustic matching layer.

An ultrasound transducer includes: a flexible board configured to receive and output an electrical signal through a signal line; a plurality of piezoelectric devices that are electrically connected to the board and are aligned in a row, each piezoelectric device being configured to transmit and receive an ultrasound wave; a plurality of leads extending the signal line and protruding from an end portion of the board, each lead being electrically connected to the piezoelectric device in a curved manner; and a plurality of sheets that are arranged to prevent the leads from being in contact with each other, each sheet being provided on the lead and having an insulation property.