[2025] Novel measurement techniques and array topologies for wearable ultrasound

Making ultrasound devices wearable and battery-powered is not just a matter of scaling down conventional ultrasound imaging systems. It requires re-thinking of the system architecture.

Assignment

In this project, you will explore the possibility to use far fewer transducer elements than one would conventionally use in ultrasound probes designed for high-quality imaging, by using so-called sparse arrays. This simplifies the system design and reduces the amount of output data that needs to be processed, but comes with compromises on image quality that are generally considered undesirable in imaging applications. Noting that wearables will not primarily be about imaging, but about sensing of a relevant biomedical parameter in the body (like blood pressure or cardiac volume), you will explore to what extent the reduced image quality can be tolerated.

The project includes study and optimization of sparse arrays in context of a wearable-ultrasound application using an acoustic simulation study, as well as experimental validation using a prototype ultrasound probe developed in our lab that allows emulation of sparse array patterns by programming of an ASIC.

Requirements

MSc students from Microelectronics, Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or Applied Physics. Prior knowledge of ultrasound and medical imaging is preferred.

Interested students should include their CV, the list of courses attended, and a motivation letter.

Contact

Last modified: 2025-02-07