Breakthrough Ultrasound Sensor Opens New Possibilities For Wearable Medical Devices

Conventional wearable ultrasound sensors person been constricted by debased powerfulness output and mediocre structural stability, making them unsuitable for high-resolution imaging aliases therapeutic applications. A KAIST investigation squad has now flooded these challenges by processing a elastic ultrasound sensor pinch statically adjustable curvature. This breakthrough opens caller possibilities for wearable aesculapian devices that tin seizure precise, body-conforming images and execute noninvasive treatments utilizing ultrasound energy.

KAIST (President Kwang Hyung Lee) announced connected November 12 that a investigation squad led by Professor Hyunjoo Jenny Lee from nan School of Electrical Engineering developed a "flex-to-rigid (FTR)" capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) tin of transitioning freely betwixt elasticity and rigidity utilizing a semiconductor wafer process (MEMS).

The squad incorporated a low-melting-point alloy (LMPA) wrong nan device. When an electrical existent is applied, nan metallic melts, allowing nan building to deform freely; upon cooling, it solidifies again, fixing nan sensor into nan desired curved shape.

Conventional polymer-membrane-based CMUTs person suffered from a debased elastic modulus, resulting successful insufficient acoustic powerfulness and blurred focal points during vibration. They person besides lacked curvature control, limiting precise focusing connected target regions.

Professor Lee's squad designed an FTR building that combines a rigid silicon substrate pinch a elastic elastomer bridge, achieving some precocious output capacity and mechanical flexibility. The embedded LMPA enables move accommodation and fixation of nan transducer's style by toggling betwixt coagulated and liquid states done electrical control.

As a result, nan caller sensor tin automatically attraction ultrasound connected a circumstantial region according to its curvature - without requiring abstracted beamforming electronics - and maintains unchangeable electrical and acoustic capacity moreover aft repeated bending.

The device's acoustic output reaches nan level of low-intensity focused ultrasound (LIFU), which tin mildly stimulate tissues to induce therapeutic effects without causing damage. Experiments connected animal models demonstrated that noninvasive spleen stimulation reduced inflammation and improved mobility successful arthritis models.

In nan future, nan squad plans to widen this exertion to a two-dimensional (2D) array building - arranging aggregate sensors successful a grid - to alteration simultaneous high-resolution ultrasound imaging and therapeutic applications, paving nan measurement for a caller procreation of smart aesculapian systems.

Because nan exertion is compatible pinch semiconductor fabrication processes, it tin beryllium mass-produced and adapted for wearable and home-use ultrasound systems.

This study was conducted by Sang-Mok Lee, Xiaojia Liang (co-first authors), and their collaborators nether nan supervision of Professor Hyunjoo Jenny Lee. The results were published online connected October 23 successful npj Flexible Electronics (Impact Factor: 15.5).

The investigation was supported by nan Bio & Medical Technology Development Program (Brain Science Convergence Research Program) of nan Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) and nan Korea Medical Device Development Fund, a multi-ministerial R&D initiative.