Transducer Target Localization Device and Localization Method for Ultrasound and Magnetoacoustic Stimulation System

By using collimated optical transceiver modules and controllers to adjust the position of the ultrasonic transceiver in the magnetic acoustic coupled electrical stimulation system, the positioning error problem is solved, high-precision and rapid target positioning are achieved, and the stability and anti-interference ability of the system are enhanced.

CN116059547BActive Publication Date: 2025-08-05INST OF BIOMEDICAL ENG CHINESE ACAD OF MEDICAL SCI
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN202310009161.6
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Patents(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2023-01-04
Publication Date
2025-08-05
Estimated Expiration
2043-01-04

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

In the existing magnetic acoustic coupled electrical stimulation technology, the positioning error of the ultrasonic transducer leads to insufficient stimulation accuracy, the image recognition device has a slow response speed and poor anti-interference.

Method used

The collimated optical transceiver module and the controller are used to cooperate with the transducer bracket moving module to adjust the position of the ultrasonic transducer in real time through the collimated optical signal to ensure its precise positioning with the object to be stimulated, and the positioning accuracy is checked using the laser optical path and visible spot.

Benefits of technology

It realizes high-precision positioning of ultrasonic transducers, with positioning accuracy up to within 2mm, fast reaction speed, strong anti-interference ability, avoids complex program operation delays, supports multi-target positioning and does not interfere.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

The embodiment of the present invention discloses a transducer target positioning device and positioning method for an ultrasound and magnetoacoustic stimulation system. The transcranial ultrasound and magnetoacoustic stimulation system includes a module for fixing the object to be stimulated and an ultrasound transducer; the transducer target positioning device of the transcranial ultrasound and magnetoacoustic stimulation system includes: a transducer bracket moving module. A first collimated light transceiver module, the first collimated light transceiver module includes a first collimated photon module and a second collimated photon module. A second collimated light transceiver module, the second collimated light transceiver module includes a third collimated photon module and a fourth collimated photon module. And a controller. The collimated light positioning technology of the embodiment of the present invention is relatively low in cost compared to other positioning technologies, and the positioning accuracy can reach within 2mm, with high tolerance. At the same time, it avoids complex program calculations, so compared with the technical solution of software calculations, the response speed is extremely fast, with almost no delay. It also has a wide movable range and strong anti-interference ability.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments of the present invention relate to ultrasound and magnetoacoustic stimulation technology, and in particular to a transducer target positioning device and positioning method for an ultrasound and magnetoacoustic stimulation system. Background Art

[0002] Magnetoacoustic coupling stimulation (TMAS) is a deep-brain neuromodulation technique based on the magnetoacoustic coupling effect. It not only shares the high penetration depth and focus of low-intensity focused ultrasound (LIFU), but also, because the spatial resolution of the induced electric field generated by magnetoacoustic coupling is determined by the spatial resolution of focused ultrasound, its spatial resolution far surpasses that of other noninvasive electrical stimulation methods, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and tDCS, with a beam diameter of less than 2 mm. This method achieves better localization and targeted stimulation while maintaining stimulation depth, offering a new direction for transcranial neurostimulation technology, particularly in the areas of brain functional areas and deep brain stimulation, which require more targeted stimulation. It holds great promise for both disease treatment and brain function research.

[0003] Since the magnetoacoustic coupling electrical stimulation technology has the characteristic of high spatial resolution, the accuracy of the position of the ultrasonic transducer as the ultrasonic wave provider directly affects the position of the stimulation target. In the related art, the focused ultrasonic transducer is often fixed on a bracket, which can realize the adjustment of the three-dimensional spatial position and the adjustment of the transducer angle. However, during the long-term use of the instrument, due to problems such as mechanical vibration generated by the driving motor that drives the movement of the bracket, it will cause system positioning errors, thereby affecting the stimulation accuracy of TMAS. Based on the above problems, there is a technical solution in the related art to add an image recognition device to assist in positioning. However, since the image recognition device has problems such as slow response speed and poor anti-interference, the positioning effect is not ideal. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention provides a transducer target positioning device and positioning method for an ultrasound and magnetoacoustic stimulation system, so as to improve the position accuracy of the ultrasonic transducer and thereby improve the stimulation accuracy of TMAS.

[0005] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a transducer target positioning device for a transcranial ultrasound and magnetoacoustic stimulation system, wherein the transcranial ultrasound and magnetoacoustic stimulation system includes a module for fixing an object to be stimulated and an ultrasonic transducer; the transducer target positioning device for the transcranial ultrasound and magnetoacoustic stimulation system includes:

[0006] A transducer support moving module, the transducer support moving module comprising a transducer support body and a transducer support moving platform, the transducer support body being fixedly connected to the ultrasonic transducer, and the transducer support moving platform being used to move the transducer support body;

[0007] a first collimated light transceiver module, the first collimated light transceiver module comprising a first collimated photon module and a second collimated photon module, the first collimated light transceiver module being configured to output a first alignment signal upon recognizing that a first collimated light path is established between the first collimated photon module and the second collimated photon module; the first collimated photon module being fixed to the transducer support body, and the second collimated photon module being relatively fixed to the to-be-stimulated object fixing module;

[0008] a second collimated light transceiver module, the second collimated light transceiver module including a third collimated photon module and a fourth collimated photon module, the second collimated light transceiver module being configured to output a second alignment signal upon recognizing that a second collimated light path is established between the third collimated photon module and the fourth collimated photon module; the third collimated photon module being fixed to the transducer support body, and the fourth collimated photon module being relatively fixed to the object to be stimulated fixing module;

[0009] The first straight line on which the first collimated light path lies intersects with the second straight line on which the second collimated light path lies; or, a first straight line projection formed by the first straight line on the plane on which the second straight line lies intersects with the second straight line;

[0010] A controller is used to control the transducer support moving platform to adjust the position of the transducer support body, and determine the initial position of the transducer support body according to the first alignment signal and the second alignment signal.

[0011] Optionally, a visible collimated light emitting module is further included, which is fixed on the ultrasonic transducer. When the first collimated light path and the second collimated light path are established, the visible light emitted by the visible collimated light emitting module forms a light spot in the area where the target to be stimulated is located.

[0012] Optionally, the visible collimated light emitting module includes at least two visible collimated light emitting sub-modules.

[0013] Optionally, both the first collimated light path and the second collimated light path are laser light paths.

[0014] Optionally, the first collimated photon module and the third collimated photon module are both used to emit collimated light, and the second collimated photon module and the fourth collimated photon module are both used to receive collimated light; when the collimated light sensing window of the second collimated photon module receives the collimated light emitted by the first collimated photon module, the second collimated photon module outputs the first alignment signal; when the collimated light sensing window of the fourth collimated photon module receives the collimated light emitted by the third collimated photon module, the fourth collimated photon module outputs the second alignment signal.

[0015] Optionally, the first straight line is perpendicular to the second straight line; or, the projection of the first straight line is perpendicular to the second straight line.

[0016] Optionally, the transducer support moving platform is used to drive the transducer support body to move on the first plane.

[0017] Optionally, the controller includes a computer, a microcontroller, an optocoupler logic switch and a step-down module;

[0018] The computer is used to set a step path of the ultrasonic transducer and input the step path into the microcontroller;

[0019] The voltage reduction module is used to convert the voltage values of the first alignment signal and the second alignment signal and input them into the microcontroller;

[0020] The optocoupler logic switch is controlled by the microcontroller to control the first collimating photon module and the third collimating photon module to emit pulsed collimated light;

[0021] The microcontroller is used to drive the transducer support moving stage with reference to the stepping path, determine the initial position of the ultrasonic transducer according to the first alignment signal and the second alignment signal, and excite the ultrasonic transducer.

[0022] Optionally, the ultrasonic transducer includes an ultrasonic phased array transducer.

[0023] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present invention further provides a transducer target positioning method for a transcranial ultrasound and magnetic acoustic stimulation system, which operates on a transducer target positioning device of any of the above transcranial ultrasound and magnetic acoustic stimulation systems, comprising:

[0024] Driving the transducer support moving module to move the ultrasonic transducer to a calibrated position;

[0025] driving the transducer support moving module to move the ultrasonic transducer in the area where the calibration position is located until the controller receives the first alignment signal and the second alignment signal;

[0026] The position information of the ultrasonic transducer is collected by the transducer support moving platform as the calibration position.

[0027] Embodiments of the present invention provide a transducer target positioning device for a transcranial ultrasound and magnetoacoustic stimulation system. A collimated light transceiver module verifies whether the current position of the transducer holder body is consistent with the set initial position of the transducer holder body. Upon receiving the first alignment signal and the second alignment signal, the current position of the transducer holder body is deemed consistent with the initial position, thereby completing the positioning of the ultrasound transducer. On one hand, the collimated light positioning technology of the embodiments of the present invention is less expensive than other positioning technologies, achieves positioning accuracy within 2mm, and has a high tolerance. It also avoids complex program calculations, resulting in extremely fast response speed and virtually no latency compared to software-based solutions. Furthermore, it supports the positioning of multiple targets within the same system without interference, and has a wide range of movement. In other embodiments, a visible collimated light transmitter module can also be used to form a light spot in the area where the target to be stimulated is located, allowing for visual verification of the target's location, further improving the accuracy and reliability of the positioning device. Furthermore, the embodiments of the present invention have strong anti-interference capabilities, eliminating the problem of inability to locate the target area due to obstruction of the image of the target area to be identified, as is common with image recognition solutions. In other embodiments, a microcontroller and an optocoupler logic switch cooperate to control the collimated light transceiver module to emit pulsed collimated light, thereby avoiding the use of a mechanical action structure to control the laser emission of the collimated light transceiver module and achieving higher stability and durability. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of a transducer target positioning device for a transcranial ultrasound and magnetoacoustic stimulation system provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 2 A method step diagram of a transducer target positioning method for a transcranial ultrasound and magnetoacoustic stimulation system provided by an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples. It will be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are intended only to illustrate the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. It should also be noted that, for ease of description, the accompanying drawings only illustrate portions relevant to the present invention, not all structures.

[0031] Transcranial magnetoacoustic coupling stimulation is a non-invasive electrical stimulation technology based on the magnetoacoustic coupling effect of conductive tissue, which uses the high focusing characteristics of ultrasound to achieve high spatial resolution. The basic principle is: based on the Hall effect, the conductive particles in the tissue are stimulated by ultrasound to vibrate. In the presence of a magnetic field perpendicular to the direction of particle vibration (which can be a static magnetic field or an alternating magnetic field), the conductive particles are affected by the Lorentz force, and the positive and negative particles are deflected and converged toward the two ends of the tissue along the vector product direction of the static magnetic field and the ultrasonic field, forming an internal induced electric field. It can be seen that for conductive biological tissue placed in a static magnetic field, if the ultrasonic signal is injected in one direction, based on the magnetoacoustic coupling effect, an internal coupled electric field and coupled current of the same frequency will be generated inside the tissue in a direction perpendicular to both the static magnetic field and the acoustic field. The induced electric field strength follows E=v j ×B, the induced electric field E and the vibration speed v of the conductive particles in the electric field j And the magnetic field magnetic induction intensity B are all linearly related, and the direction of the induced electric field is the vector product direction of the ultrasonic sound field and the static magnetic field.

[0032] Therefore, the induced electric field generated by the ultrasonic sound field and the magnetoacoustic coupling must pass through the target site to effectively stimulate it. Therefore, the ultrasonic transducer needs to be accurately positioned to precisely stimulate the target site.

[0033] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a transducer target positioning device for a transcranial ultrasound and magnetic acoustic stimulation system provided by an embodiment of the present invention, see Figure 1 The embodiment of the present invention provides a transducer target positioning device for a transcranial ultrasound and magnetoacoustic stimulation system. The transcranial ultrasound and magnetoacoustic stimulation system includes a to-be-stimulated object fixing module 1 and an ultrasonic transducer 2. The transducer target positioning device for the transcranial ultrasound and magnetoacoustic stimulation system includes:

[0034] The transducer support moving module 3 includes a transducer support body 31 and a transducer support moving platform 32. The transducer support body 31 is fixedly connected to the ultrasonic transducer 2. The transducer support moving platform 32 is used to move the transducer support body 31.

[0035] A first collimated light transceiver module 4 includes a first collimated photon module 41 and a second collimated photon module 42. The first collimated light transceiver module 4 is configured to output a first alignment signal upon recognizing that a first collimated light path is established between the first collimated photon module 41 and the second collimated photon module 42. The first collimated photon module 41 is fixed to the transducer support body 31, and the second collimated photon module 42 is relatively fixed to the object fixing module 1.

[0036] A second collimated light transceiver module 5 includes a third collimated photon module 51 and a fourth collimated photon module 52. The second collimated light transceiver module 5 is configured to output a second alignment signal upon detecting that a second collimated light path is established between the third collimated photon module 51 and the fourth collimated photon module 52. The third collimated photon module 51 is fixed to the transducer support body 31, and the fourth collimated photon module 52 is relatively fixed to the object fixing module 1.

[0037] A first straight line on which the first collimated light path is located intersects with a second straight line on which the second collimated light path is located; or a first straight line projection formed by the first straight line on the plane on which the second straight line is located intersects with the second straight line;

[0038] The controller 6 is used to control the transducer support moving platform 32 to adjust the position of the transducer support body 31 and determine the initial position of the transducer support body 31 according to the first alignment signal and the second alignment signal.

[0039] Among them, the object fixing module 1 to be stimulated is used to fix the part of the human body to be stimulated or the animal body to be stimulated, laying the foundation for the precise positioning of the subsequent magnetic acoustic stimulation. The ultrasonic transducer 2 is fixed to one end of the transducer support body 31, and the transducer support body 31 is set on the transducer support moving platform 32. The transducer support moving platform 32 drives the transducer support body 31, and the transducer support body 31 drives the ultrasonic transducer 2 to move. The transducer support moving platform 32 may include a drive motor, which drives the transducer support body 31 through the motor. The type and structure of the transducer support body 31 can be determined according to actual needs. The embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the specific type of ultrasonic transducer 2. Any ultrasonic transducer 2 that can form an ultrasonic sound field (i.e., an ultrasonic particle vibration velocity field) at the target to be stimulated can be used. Exemplarily, the ultrasonic transducer 2 can be a focused ultrasonic transducer, which can be a single-element focused ultrasonic transducer or a phased array focused ultrasonic transducer. Its main frequency can be 0.3MHz-5MHz, and the frequency can be selected based on the stimulation depth of the object to be stimulated. In other embodiments, the transducer holder moving platform 32 is used to drive the transducer holder body 31 to move on a first plane. In other words, the ultrasonic transducer 2 is driven by the transducer holder moving platform 32 via the transducer holder body 31, and the ultrasonic transducer 2 moves on another plane parallel to the first plane.

[0040] The first collimated light transceiver module 4 includes a first collimated photon module 41 and a second collimated photon module 42, and the second collimated light transceiver module 5 includes a third collimated photon module 51 and a fourth collimated photon module 52. Either the first collimated photon module 41 or the second collimated photon module 42 can be a collimated light transmitting module for transmitting collimated light; the other can be a collimated light receiving module for receiving collimated light. Similarly, either the third collimated photon module 51 or the fourth collimated photon module 52 can be a collimated light transmitting module for transmitting collimated light; the other can be a collimated light receiving module for receiving collimated light. Exemplarily, the first collimated photon module 41 and the third collimated photon module 51 can both be used to emit collimated light, and the second collimated photon module 42 and the fourth collimated photon module 52 can both be used to receive collimated light; when the collimated light sensing window of the second collimated photon module 42 receives the collimated light emitted by the first collimated photon module 41, the second collimated photon module 42 outputs a first alignment signal; when the collimated light sensing window of the fourth collimated photon module 52 receives the collimated light emitted by the third collimated photon module 51, the fourth collimated photon module 52 outputs a second alignment signal. Since collimated light propagates in a straight line, if the first and third collimated photon modules 41 and 51 are both fixed to the transducer support body 31, and the second and fourth collimated photon modules 42 and 52 are both fixed relative to the object fixation module 1, if collimated light is transmitted and received between the first and second collimated photon modules 41 and 42 during the movement of the transducer support body 31, then the first and second collimated photon modules 41 and 42 are both located on a first straight line. If collimated light is transmitted and received between the third and fourth collimated photon modules 51 and 52 during the movement of the transducer support body 31, then the third and fourth collimated photon modules 51 and 52 are both located on a second straight line. Since the first and second straight lines are not parallel, in space, the transducer support body 31 and the object fixation module 1 are aligned in both straight line directions to determine a unique relative position. Therefore, before using the device, the transducer can be aligned with the target to be stimulated, the first collimated photon module 41 and the second collimated photon module 42 can be aligned with each other, and the third collimated photon module 51 and the fourth collimated photon module 52 can be aligned with each other to install the collimated photon modules and calibrate the initial position. In other embodiments, the first collimated light path and the second collimated light path are both laser light paths. In other words, the first collimated photon module 41, the second collimated photon module 42, the third collimated photon module 51 and the fourth collimated photon module 52 are all used for emitting and receiving lasers. Since lasers have the characteristics of high collimation, high emission speed, and no deformation, the accuracy of the ultrasonic transducer 2 can be further improved. In other embodiments, the first straight line is perpendicular to the second straight line; or, the projection of the first straight line is perpendicular to the second straight line.Since the first straight line on which the first collimated photon module 41 and the second collimated photon module 42 are aligned and the second straight line on which the third collimated photon module 51 and the fourth collimated photon module 52 are aligned are perpendicular in space, the accuracy of determining the alignment between the transducer support body 31 and the object fixing module 1 to be stimulated is further improved, and the positioning accuracy of the ultrasonic transducer is improved.

[0041] The controller 6 can send control instructions, and the transducer support moving platform 32 moves according to the control instructions sent by the controller 6, and drives the transducer support body 31 to move. When the controller 6 receives the first alignment signal and the second alignment signal, it means that the transducer support body 31 has reached the calibrated initial position. At this time, the movement of the transducer support body 31 is stopped, and the positioning of the ultrasonic transducer is completed. Compared with other positioning technologies, the collimated light positioning technology of the embodiment of the present invention has lower cost and higher positioning accuracy, which can reach within 2mm and has high tolerance. At the same time, it avoids complex program calculations, so the response speed is extremely fast and there is almost no delay compared to the technical solution of software calculation. It can also support the positioning of multiple targets in the same system without interfering with each other, and has a wide range of movement. On the other hand, the embodiment of the present invention has strong anti-interference ability, and the problem of being unable to locate due to blocking the image of the target area to be identified in the image recognition solution will not occur. It solves the problem of poor positioning accuracy of ultrasonic transducers in ultrasonic and magnetoacoustic stimulation systems in related technologies.

[0042] In some other embodiments, a tank body is further included, the object to be stimulated fixing module 1 is fixed to the bottom of the tank body, and the second collimating photon module 42 and the fourth collimating photon module 52 are fixed to the edge of the tank body.

[0043] In other embodiments, a visible collimated light emitting module 7 is further included. The visible collimated light emitting module 7 is fixed on the ultrasonic transducer 2. When the first collimated light path and the second collimated light path are established, the visible light emitted by the visible collimated light emitting module 7 forms a light spot in the area where the target to be stimulated is located.

[0044] When the controller 6 receives the first and second alignment signals, and the first collimated photon module 41 is aligned with the second collimated photon module 42, and the third collimated photon module 51 is aligned with the fourth collimated photon module 52, the position of the ultrasonic transducer 2 can be visually verified again based on the light spot formed by the visible collimated light emitting module 7 in the area where the target to be stimulated is located. This ensures that the position of the ultrasonic transducer 2 is correct. Furthermore, the visible collimated light emitting module 7 can also include at least two visible collimated light emitting submodules 71. The visible collimated light emitting submodules 71 together illuminate and indicate the area where the target to be stimulated is located, making the position indicated by the visible collimated light emitting module 7 more specific. Furthermore, at least two visible collimated light emitting submodules 71 can be positioned at different locations on the ultrasonic transducer 2. The visible collimated light emitting submodules 71 can be configured so that when the ultrasonic transducer 2 is at a calibrated distance from the area to be stimulated, the light spots emitted by all visible collimated light emitting submodules 71 overlap. This verifies whether the distance between the ultrasonic transducer 2 and the stimulation site is the calibrated distance. The position and posture of the visible collimated light emitting submodule 71 can be adjusted at the same time as the collimated photon module installation and initial position calibration to set the calibrated distance.

[0045] In other embodiments, the controller 6 includes a computer 61 , a microcontroller 62 , an optocoupler logic switch 63 , and a step-down module 64 ;

[0046] The computer 61 is used to set the step path of the ultrasonic transducer 2 and input the step path to the microcontroller 62;

[0047] The voltage reduction module 64 is used to convert the voltage values of the first alignment signal and the second alignment signal and input them into the microcontroller 62;

[0048] The optocoupler logic switch 63 is controlled by the microcontroller 62 to control the first collimated photon module 41 and the third collimated photon module 51 to emit pulsed collimated light;

[0049] The microcontroller 62 is used to drive the transducer support moving stage 32 with reference to the stepping path, determine the initial position of the ultrasonic transducer 2 according to the first alignment signal and the second alignment signal, and excite the ultrasonic transducer 2.

[0050] Among them, the collimated photon module includes a laser submodule for emitting and receiving laser as an example for explanation. Under the control of the microcontroller 62, the optocoupler logic switch 63 sends an enable signal to the first collimated photon module 41 and the third collimated photon module 51, so that the first collimated photon module 41 and the third collimated photon module 51 periodically emit lasers. It avoids the use of mechanical means to control the laser, and improves the stability and durability of the device. On the other hand, since the voltage of the first collimated photon module 41 and the third collimated photon module 51 is higher than the voltage of the microcontroller 62, the optocoupler logic switch 63 has the function of isolating the optocoupler input end and the optocoupler output end and has high anti-interference ability. The periodic emission of pulsed laser by the first collimated photon module 41 and the third collimated photon module 51 can extend the service life of the laser emitting device, and can also prevent the safety hazard caused by crosstalk between the laser and the input end of the microcontroller 62 due to long-term emission. When the second collimated photon module 42 receives the laser from the first collimated photon module 41, it sends a first alignment signal to the controller 6. When the fourth collimated photon module 52 receives the laser from the third collimated photon module 51, it sends a second alignment signal to the controller 6. Because the feedback signal voltage at the laser receiving end is often higher than the voltage received at the input end of the microcontroller 62, a voltage reduction module 64 can be configured to reduce the signal voltage. For example, the signal voltage output by the second collimated photon module 42 or the fourth collimated photon module 52, acting as the laser receiving end, is often greater than 15V. Therefore, the voltage reduction module 64 can convert the 15V signal into 3.3V and input it to the input end of the microcontroller 62. After receiving the first and second alignment signals, the microcontroller 62 can send a trigger signal to the ultrasonic transducer excitation system to activate the ultrasonic transducer excitation system, causing the ultrasonic transducer excitation system to excite the ultrasonic transducer 2 and transmit ultrasonic waves toward the target to be stimulated. The computer 61 is configured to set a stepping path for the ultrasonic transducer 2 based on the stored calibration position. The microcontroller 62 drives the transducer support movable stage 32 according to the ultrasonic transducer stepping path set by the computer 61, causing the ultrasonic transducer 2 to reach the calibration position. The microcontroller 62 then sets a scanning area near the calibration position. The size of the scanning area can be determined based on actual needs. Row-by-row or column-by-column scanning is performed within the scanning area until a first alignment signal and a second alignment signal are obtained. If the first alignment signal is obtained, it indicates that the transducer support body 31 and the object fixation module 1 are aligned in a first linear direction. Therefore, the transducer support movable stage 32 is controlled to drive the transducer support body 31 along the first linear direction until a second alignment signal is obtained. If the second alignment signal is obtained, it indicates that the transducer support body 31 and the object fixation module 1 are aligned in a second linear direction. Therefore, the transducer support movable stage 32 is controlled to drive the transducer support body 31 along the second linear direction until the first alignment signal is obtained.When the first and second alignment signals are obtained, the positioning of the ultrasonic transducer 2 is completed. The microcontroller 62 reads the information of the motor controller in the transducer support moving platform 32, uploads the information of the motor controller to the computer 61, and corrects the calibration position for the next positioning.

[0051] Figure 2 A method step diagram of a transducer target positioning method for a transcranial ultrasound and magnetic acoustic stimulation system provided by an embodiment of the present invention, see Figure 2 The embodiment of the present invention further provides a transducer target positioning method for a transcranial ultrasound and magnetic acoustic stimulation system, which is operated on a transducer target positioning device of any of the above transcranial ultrasound and magnetic acoustic stimulation systems, comprising:

[0052] S1: driving the transducer support moving module 3 to move the ultrasonic transducer 2 to the calibration position.

[0053] S2: driving the transducer support moving module 3 to move the ultrasonic transducer 2 in the area where the calibration position is located, until the controller 6 receives the first alignment signal and the second alignment signal.

[0054] S3: The position information of the ultrasonic transducer 2 is collected by the transducer support moving platform 32 as the calibration position.

[0055] The calibrated position is the position information recorded by the transducer holder movable stage 32 during the previous run, as read by the controller 6. Therefore, after the ultrasonic transducer 2 is moved to the calibrated position, it will be near the target position the user desires. In other words, the transducer holder body 31 will be near the initial position. Further searching for the initial position of the transducer holder body 31 based on this information can significantly reduce search time. The area where the calibrated position is located, i.e., the scanning area, is then defined, centered around the calibrated position of the ultrasonic transducer 2. During the scanning process, upon receiving the first alignment signal and the second alignment signal, the controller 6 determines that the ultrasonic transducer 2 has reached the target position. The controller 6 records the position information of the transducer holder movable stage at this time and corrects the original calibrated position. By revising the calibrated position each time, the error distance between the calibrated position and the target position of the ultrasonic transducer 2 can be controlled within a reasonable range, preventing the scanning area from being too large and further reducing the search time for the initial position of the transducer holder body.

[0056] Note that the above are only preferred embodiments of the present invention and the technical principles employed. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described herein, and that various obvious changes, readjustments, combinations, and substitutions are possible for those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, although the present invention has been described in detail through the above embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and may include many other equivalent embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is determined by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A transducer target positioning device for a transcranial ultrasound and magnetoacoustic stimulation system, characterized in that: The transcranial ultrasound and magnetoacoustic stimulation system includes a module for fixing the object to be stimulated and an ultrasonic transducer; the transducer target positioning device of the transcranial ultrasound and magnetoacoustic stimulation system includes: A transducer support moving module, the transducer support moving module comprising a transducer support body and a transducer support moving platform, the transducer support body being fixedly connected to the ultrasonic transducer, and the transducer support moving platform being used to move the transducer support body; a first collimated light transceiver module, the first collimated light transceiver module comprising a first collimated photon module and a second collimated photon module, the first collimated light transceiver module being configured to output a first alignment signal upon recognizing that a first collimated light path is established between the first collimated photon module and the second collimated photon module; the first collimated photon module being fixed to the transducer support body, and the second collimated photon module being relatively fixed to the to-be-stimulated object fixing module; a second collimated light transceiver module, the second collimated light transceiver module including a third collimated photon module and a fourth collimated photon module, the second collimated light transceiver module being configured to output a second alignment signal upon recognizing that a second collimated light path is established between the third collimated photon module and the fourth collimated photon module; the third collimated photon module being fixed to the transducer support body, and the fourth collimated photon module being relatively fixed to the object to be stimulated fixing module; The first straight line on which the first collimated light path lies intersects with the second straight line on which the second collimated light path lies; or, a first straight line projection formed by the first straight line on the plane on which the second straight line lies intersects with the second straight line; A controller is used to control the transducer support moving platform to adjust the position of the transducer support body, and determine the initial position of the transducer support body according to the first alignment signal and the second alignment signal.

2. The transducer target positioning device of the transcranial ultrasound and magnetic acoustic stimulation system according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a visible collimated light emitting module, which is fixed on the ultrasonic transducer. When the first collimated light path and the second collimated light path are established, the visible light emitted by the visible collimated light emitting module forms a light spot in the area where the target to be stimulated is located.

3. The transducer target positioning device of the transcranial ultrasound and magnetic acoustic stimulation system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The visible collimated light emitting module includes at least two visible collimated light emitting sub-modules.

4. The transducer target positioning device of the transcranial ultrasound and magnetic acoustic stimulation system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first collimated light path and the second collimated light path are both laser light paths.

5. The transducer target positioning device of the transcranial ultrasound and magnetic acoustic stimulation system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first collimated photon module and the third collimated photon module are both used to emit collimated light, and the second collimated photon module and the fourth collimated photon module are both used to receive collimated light; when the collimated light sensing window of the second collimated photon module receives the collimated light emitted by the first collimated photon module, the second collimated photon module outputs the first alignment signal; when the collimated light sensing window of the fourth collimated photon module receives the collimated light emitted by the third collimated photon module, the fourth collimated photon module outputs the second alignment signal.

6. The transducer target positioning device for the transcranial ultrasound and magnetic acoustic stimulation system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first straight line is perpendicular to the second straight line; or, the projection of the first straight line is perpendicular to the second straight line.

7. The transducer target positioning device for the transcranial ultrasound and magnetic acoustic stimulation system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The transducer support moving platform is used to drive the transducer support body to move on a first plane.

8. The transducer target positioning device for the transcranial ultrasound and magnetic acoustic stimulation system according to claim 5, characterized in that: The controller includes a computer, a microcontroller, an optocoupler logic switch and a step-down module; The computer is used to set a step path of the ultrasonic transducer and input the step path into the microcontroller; The voltage reduction module is used to convert the voltage values of the first alignment signal and the second alignment signal and input them into the microcontroller; The optocoupler logic switch is controlled by the microcontroller to control the first collimating photon module and the third collimating photon module to emit pulsed collimated light; The microcontroller is used to drive the transducer support moving stage with reference to the stepping path, determine the initial position of the ultrasonic transducer according to the first alignment signal and the second alignment signal, and excite the ultrasonic transducer.

9. The transducer target positioning device for the transcranial ultrasound and magnetic acoustic stimulation system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The ultrasonic transducer includes an ultrasonic phased array transducer.

10. A method for locating a transducer target for a transcranial ultrasound and magnetic acoustic stimulation system, characterized in that: A transducer target positioning device operating in a transcranial ultrasound and magnetic acoustic stimulation system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, comprising: Driving the transducer support moving module to move the ultrasonic transducer to a calibrated position; driving the transducer support moving module to move the ultrasonic transducer in the area where the calibration position is located until the controller receives the first alignment signal and the second alignment signal; The position information of the ultrasonic transducer is collected by the transducer support moving platform as the calibration position.

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