(a) Comparability of the cross sections of lenses and precise pictures of the fabricated lenses. (b) Lens and transducer holder. Credit score: Measurement Science and Expertise (2024). DOI: 10.1088/1361-6501/ad9ecc
The Korea Analysis Institute of Requirements and Science has developed a removable acoustic lens that permits for simple adjustment of the focal size in ultrasonic inspection gear. Very similar to swapping lenses on a DSLR digicam to enhance picture high quality, this expertise permits customers to optimize the decision of ultrasonic imaging methods for particular inspection duties. The innovation is predicted to considerably improve accuracy in each medical diagnostics and industrial security inspections.
The work is revealed within the journal Measurement Science and Expertise.
Ultrasonic imaging expertise works by transmitting sound waves into an object or the human physique and capturing the mirrored indicators to visualise inside constructions. Amongst these applied sciences, the C-scan methodology is thought for its capability to generate high-resolution photographs. It’s extensively utilized in diagnostic medical gear for duties corresponding to most cancers detection, in addition to in nondestructive testing (NDT) methods to evaluate defects in plane parts and industrial pipelines.
To provide high-resolution ultrasound photographs, it’s important to extend the depth of the transmitted and mirrored ultrasound waves and exactly management the focal size. For this function, targeted ultrasound transducers are generally utilized in C-scan ultrasound inspection methods. These units focus the broadly dispersed ultrasound vitality instantly onto the goal space, thereby enhancing picture high quality.
Nonetheless, a significant limitation is that every targeted ultrasound transducer has a set focal size. Which means that a number of transducers with totally different focal lengths have to be bought, resulting in excessive prices. Furthermore, it’s tough to fine-tune the main target to match the place, dimension, or form of the article being examined, making it difficult to attain optimum decision in ultrasound imaging.
Removable Aspheric Acoustic Lens Developed by KRISS. Credit score: Korea Analysis Institute of Requirements and Science (KRISS)
Acoustic Ray Tracing Diagram of the Removable Aspheric Lens Developed by KRISS. Credit score: Korea Analysis Institute of Requirements and Science (KRISS)
To beat this limitation, the Acoustics, Ultrasound and Vibration Metrology Group at KRISS has developed “a detachable acoustic lens design technology.” By attaching the newly developed lens to a targeted ultrasound transducer with a set focal size, customers can modify the focal distance to swimsuit the inspection goal—with no need to interchange the gear. This allows optimized picture decision tailor-made to the particular object being examined.
Notably, the acoustic lens developed by the KRISS analysis group is designed with an aspheric form, providing clearer focus and better decision in comparison with typical spherical lenses. Conventional acoustic lenses are sometimes spherical, which ends up in spherical aberration—blurring on the edges of the picture because of the lens form. To handle this, the group additionally devised a foldable design that permits the lens dimension to be flexibly adjusted to match the attachment space.
When the KRISS-designed acoustic lens is connected to a flat ultrasound transducer with low decision, it could actually ship efficiency corresponding to that of a targeted ultrasound transducer. The group developed each convex acoustic lenses for targeted transducers and flat-form acoustic lens designs.
When the newly developed acoustic lens was connected to a C-scan ultrasound imaging system and used to research a phantom mannequin simulating the human physique, the system efficiently visualized effective constructions as small as 25 micrometers (μm, one millionth of a meter). This represents a decision roughly 1.5 instances larger than that of a tool with out the lens on the similar focal distance.
Dr. Kim Yong Tae, Principal Analysis Scientist of the Acoustics, Ultrasound and Vibration Metrology Group at KRISS, acknowledged, “We plan to expand the application of this lens design technology beyond C-scan systems to various types of ultrasound imaging.”
Extra info:
Bernadette Carolina Fritzie Elmina et al, Complete analysis of lens and planar round ultrasonic transducer combos to reinforce C-scan imaging: a phantom examine at 10 and 15 MHz, Measurement Science and Expertise (2024). DOI: 10.1088/1361-6501/ad9ecc
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Enhancing ultrasound imaging: Researchers develop removable acoustic lens for exact focus adjustment (2025, June 12)
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