Increasing Efficiency of Focused Ultrasound Transducer Applications

超声波被用于许多应用，包括声纳，化学催化，无损检测和医学。我们有一个积极的研究合作，其中具有互补专业知识的研究人员正在创造超声波换能器激励方面的突破性技术。通过这一努力，我们已经开发出一种更有效的方法，用于使用正交电场驱动换能器，这有助于换能器的切换，使其效率显著提高。通过这项研究补助金支持的设备将用于完成超声成像和治疗换能器的测试和应用。我们将利用独特的超声激励平台，通过灵活和精细的驱动和图像重建控制，可以测试成像和治疗的新技术。这项合作工作的成功结合了材料科学建模、放大器技术的设计和制造以及设备开发，为加拿大人带来了更实惠、更有效、更安全的超声波应用。 我们目前正处于一个关键点，在这个关键点上，我们有希望的结果需要这个设备来收集数据，这些数据将推动对这项技术的商业兴趣和工业研究合作，以及支持这项技术的研究。所要求的双驱动/接收系统将使我们能够通过补充现有的测试能力来测试我们的专利技术，通过这种技术的开发。我们目前正在测试我们的设备，短期租赁将不足以获得我们所需的数据，特别是考虑到对复杂多元素成像原型技术感兴趣的潜在工业合作者的反馈。这种类型的设备并不广泛使用，在湖首大学或雷霆湾也没有等同的设备。这些设备将提供给提案中所述的所有四个研究小组，用于联合项目以及每个小组的具体发展。该设备的主要用户将是在硕士和博士就读的学生。在电气和计算机工程（ECE）的程序在湖首大学，并将生成数据的学生就读于材料科学研究生课程在麦克马斯特大学。本科暑期学生也将受益于这一设备，从事较小的研究项目，并获得实践培训。所有接受培训的学生将获得多元素超声设备和信号处理开发的重要经验，这是超声成像行业和超声治疗应用的标准。

Ultrasound waves are used in a number of applications including sonar, chemical catalysis, non-destructive testing and medicine. We have an active research collaboration in which researchers with complementary expertise are creating breakthrough technologies in the excitation of ultrasonic transducers. Through this effort, we have developed a more efficient method for driving transducers using orthogonal electric fields, which facilitates switching of transducers, making them significantly more efficient. The equipment supported through this research grant will be used to finalize the testing and applications of ultrasound imaging and therapy transducers. We will make use of a unique ultrasound excitation platform that will make it possible to test new techniques for imaging and therapy with flexible and fine control for driving and image reconstruction. The success of this collaborative work combines material science modeling, the design and fabrication of amplifier technology, and device development to bring more affordable, more effective and safer applications of ultrasound to Canadians. We are currently at a critical point in which our promising results require this equipment to collect the data that will drive commercial interest and industrial research collaborations for this technology and the research that supports it. The requested dual driving/receiving system will allow us to test our patented technique by complementing the existing testing capabilities through which this technology was developed. We are currently testing our devices on a short-term lease that will not be sufficient to obtain the data that we require, particularly in light of feedback from potential industrial collaborators that are interested in the technique for complex multi-element imaging prototypes. Devices of this type are not widely available, and there is no equivalent device at Lakehead University or in Thunder Bay. The equipment will be available to all four research teams described in the proposal, for joint projects as well as specific for developments by each team. The main users of the equipment will be students enrolled in the Masters and Ph.D. programs in Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) at Lakehead University and will generate data for students enrolled in the graduate programs in Material Sciences at McMaster University. Undergraduate summer students will also benefit from this equipment by working on smaller research projects and obtaining hands-on training. All students trained will gain important experience in the development of multi-element ultrasound devices and signal processing, which is standard in ultrasound imaging industry and for ultrasound therapeutic applications.