A sensor device, including a sensor having a sound transducer to emit sonic waves and convert received sonic waves to electrical signals. A sensor evaluation unit carries out surrounding-area monitoring during a normal operation of the sensor, by evaluating electrical signals of the sound transducer. During a monitoring mode of the sensor, a monitoring unit of the sensor device measures an impedance of the sound transducer for different excitation frequencies of excitation signals produced with a signal generator of the sensor device. The sensor device includes a first and a second signal path, which are each connected to the sound transducer and are connectable to the signal generator. To reset the sensor from normal operation to the monitoring mode, a first control unit of the sensor device is configured to decouple the signal generator from the first signal path and to connect it to the second signal path.

A system for measuring conditions in a wellbore includes tubing extending into the wellbore. A high power laser having a power greater than 1 kW is operable to deliver a light to a first fiber optic cable. The first fiber optic cable extends axially along a fist surface portion of the tubing and has at least one signal generation gauge located at a predetermined location for producing a generated acoustic signal that propagates outward from the generation gauge and through the tubing. A second fiber optic cable extends axially along a second surface portion of the tubing and is operable to receive a resulting signal of the generated acoustic signal so that wellbore parameters proximate to the predetermined location can be determined. The second fiber optic cable is spaced apart from the first fiber optic cable and is operable to transmit data of the resulting signal to a receiver.

A mobile communications device that does not have a physical opening on the screen for audio is operable to transmit a signal to which a photoacoustic effect can be employed by interaction with water vapor in an ear of a user so as to generate audio in the ear or the immediate vicinity of the user's ear. Related methods, apparatuses, systems, techniques and articles are also described.

An optical pulse measuring method measuring an optical pulse generated from a pulse light source is provided. The method includes: splitting the optical pulse and then focusing them at a measuring point, so as to generate gas plasma by the autocorrelation of the split optical pulses; receiving the sound signal from the gas plasma and generate a plasma sound signal; and using the plasma sound signal to calculate the characteristics of the optical pulse. A measuring device is also provided.

A method for generating vapour bubbles in an object comprises introducing a composition into the object, the composition comprising carbon-based nano- or microparticles that can couple with a photon wave of electromagnetic radiation. The method also comprises irradiating said object using electromagnetic radiation. The irradiation thereby is adapted for using a set of carbon-based nano- or microparticles for subsequently forming first vapour bubbles and at least second vapour bubbles using the same carbon-based nano- or microparticles.

An underwater acoustic deception system deceives a sensor installed on a threat existing in or on water by acoustic effect in order to protect ships from the threat. The underwater acoustic deception system is provided with a control device, a laser oscillator and emission optical system. The control device determines a focusing position to focus a laser beam (50) in water in order to generate bubbles (70) at a desired position with a desired scale and emission parameters of the laser beam (50). The laser oscillator generates the laser beam (50) configured to focus in water and generate bubbles. The emission optical system emits the generated laser beam (50) to the focusing position. The underwater acoustic deception system deceives an arbitrary sensor existing in the water by acoustic effect of the bubbles (70) on the surroundings.

An optical pulse measuring method measuring an optical pulse generated from a pulse light source is provided. The method includes: splitting the optical pulse and then focusing them at a measuring point, so as to generate gas plasma by the autocorrelation of the split optical pulses; receiving the sound signal from the gas plasma and generate a plasma sound signal; and using the plasma sound signal to calculate the characteristics of the optical pulse. A measuring device is also provided.

An optical pulse measuring method measuring an optical pulse generated from a pulse light source is provided. The method includes: splitting the optical pulse and then focusing them at a measuring point, so as to generate gas plasma by the autocorrelation of the split optical pulses; receiving the sound signal from the gas plasma and generate a plasma sound signal; and using the plasma sound signal to calculate the characteristics of the optical pulse. A measuring device is also provided.

Provided herein is a probe for ultrasound imaging of tissue. The probe comprises an optical relay having an optically absorbing coating at the distal end of the probe for generating ultrasound from excitation light via the photoacoustic effect, wherein the generated ultrasound propagates as an ultrasound beam into the tissue; and an ultrasound receiver separate from the optical relay. The optical relay is configured to receive as input a time-varying spatial pattern of excitation light at the proximal end of the probe and to transmit the excitation light to the distal end of the probe to illuminate the optically absorbing coating in accordance with said time-varying spatial pattern, thereby generating ultrasound from the excitation light via the photoacoustic effect to propagate as a scanning ultrasound beam into the tissue. The ultrasound receiver is configured to receive reflections of the ultrasound from tissue. Such an ultrasound probe may be incorporated, for example, into a transseptal puncture needle.

In one embodiment, a system for locating a tip of a catheter that has been inserted into a patient includes an implantable catheter having a distal tip, a pulsed light source that is co-located with the distal tip of the implantable catheter, the pulsed light source being configured to emit pulses of light into surrounding patient tissue, an optoacoustic sensor configured to be applied so a skin surface of the patient at a position proximate to the pulsed light source and to sense optoacoustic waves generated when the pulses of light are absorbed by the surrounding patient tissue, and an optoacoustic console configured to receive optoacoustic wave signals from the optoacoustic sensor and to display an indication of the optoacoustic wave signals to a medical professional to provide an indication of the location of the pulsed light source and, therefore, the distal tip of the implantable catheter.