A haptic interface of the ‘mid-air’ type, including a control circuit, a plurality of ultrasonic transducers connected to the circuit, which includes a first set of transducers emitting at a first ultrasound carrier frequency and at least a second set of transducers emitting at a second ultrasound carrier frequency different from the first; the control circuit being configured for modulating the signals sent to the transducers in order to generate, with the ultrasound waves emitted by at least a part of the transducers of the first set, an acoustic pressure detectable by touch within at least a first focal region, and generate, with the ultrasound waves emitted by at least a part of the transducers of the second set, an acoustic pressure detectable by touch within at least a second focal region.

A touch feedback and sensing device includes a circuit board, a piezoelectric ceramic actuator on the circuit board; and at least one strain sensor on the circuit board. The piezoelectric ceramic actuator includes a piezoelectric ceramic block, a cathode and an anode on the piezoelectric ceramic block. Different voltages are applied to the cathode and the anode to vibrate the piezoelectric ceramic block. The circuit board vibrates with vibration of the piezoelectric ceramic block. The at least one strain sensor is configured to detect and monitor vibration of the circuit board.

The present invention provides a flexible ultrasound transducer (1) for an ultrasound monitoring system for examining a curved object. The ultrasound transducer (1) comprises an integrated circuit structure (7) and a multi-layered structure (2), said multi-layered structure (2) comprising an array (3) of ultrasound transducing elements (3a) arranged in a first layer structure (4) and configured for generating ultrasonic energy propagating along a main transducer axis Z and an array (5) of control circuits (5a) arranged in a second layer structure (6), and wherein the array (5) of control circuits and the integrated circuit structure (7) are configured for operating the array (3) of ultrasound transducing elements in said first layer structure (4), Further, the multi-layered structure (2) comprises at least one flexible layer (8, 9) arranged so that the bending flexibility of the multi-layered structure (2) permits the ultrasound transducer (1) to form a continuous contact with said curved object during operation.

A piezoelectric actuator includes: a vibrating plate including a first surface configured to close an opening provided in a substrate and also including a second surface including a plurality of piezoelectric elements; a suppressing portion configured to suppress vibration of the vibrating plate; and a plurality of walls sticking out into the opening from the first surface, in which, when an active portion of a piezoelectric element is set as a portion where a first electrode, a piezoelectric layer, and a second electrode overlap, the walls are provided between adjacent active portions in plan view from a direction in which the first electrode, the piezoelectric layer, and the second electrode are stacked, and a distance between adjacent walls is longer than a distance between adjacent active portions in a plane perpendicular to the stacking direction.

A display device and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The display device includes a first substrate, a second substrate, first signal lines, second signal lines, a first insulation layer, active components, a display medium, and ultrasonic transducers. The first insulation layer is located between the first signal lines and the second signal lines. Cavities are located in the first insulation layer having thin films located on the cavities. Each of the ultrasonic transducers includes first and second electrodes. A first electrode and a corresponding first signal line belong to a same layer and are electrically connected with each other. A second electrode and a corresponding second signal line belong to a same layer and are electrically connected with each other. A corresponding cavity and a corresponding thin film are sandwiched between the first and second electrodes.

Systems and methods are provided that integrate control electronics with a wireless on-board module so that a conformal ultrasound device is a fully functional and self-contained system. Such systems employ integrated control electronics, deep tissue monitoring, wireless communications, and smart machine learning algorithms to analyze data. In particular, a stretchable ultrasonic patch is provided that performs the noted functions. The decoded motion signals may have implications on blood pressure estimation, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) diagnosis, heart function evaluation, and many other medical monitoring aspects.

In a vibration unit, a piezoelectric element enters an internal space of a through hole; and thereby, a second case member can be arranged proximate to a first case member. Therefore, a thickness of the vibration unit can be reduced, namely, a height of the vibration unit can be reduced. As described above, since the thickness of the vibration unit is reduced, a size of the vibration unit can be reduced.

A flexible printed circuit board includes a central portion and one or more tabs extending from the central portion. The one or more tabs are foldable relative to the central portion. A plurality of pads are located within the central portion, and the plurality of pads are configured to electrically connect to a transducer. Lands are located within one of the one or more tabs, and electrical traces connect the plurality of pads and the lands. A method of manufacturing an electronics assembly includes providing a flexible printed circuit board with a plurality of central portions and folding the substrate such that the adjacent central portions are vertically stacked and the pads of adjacent central portions are electrically connected. Prior to folding the substrate, a transducer may be affixed to the plurality of pads and one or more electrical components may be affixed to the lands.

A method of manufacturing a piezoelectric element array board includes fabricating a plurality of piezoelectric element control circuits including one or more thin-film transistors on a substrate, fabricating a plurality of piezoelectric elements on the substrate, and poling a piezoelectric material by applying an electric field to a piezoelectric material layer of the plurality of piezoelectric elements while maintaining the one or more thin-film transistors in a state of generating higher leakage current, after fabricating the plurality of piezoelectric elements and the plurality of piezoelectric element control circuits.

Apparatus, systems, and methods associated with microfabricated ultrasound transducer array for neural stimulation are applicable in a variety of applications. Microfabricated micro-scale ultrasound transducers can be integrated with microelectrode arrays for high spatial stimulation of neurons. Ultrasound stimulation of neurons can be combined with electrical recording to monitor neural activity. Such high spatial stimulation devices can be implemented for in-vitro and in-vivo applications. In-vivo applications can include high frequency ultrasound transducers incorporated into brain probes that are implanted at a specific area in the brain, where the high frequency ultrasound transducer can stimulate neurons at that target location.