Composite sensor and composite detection equipment

Abstract

The invention belongs to the technical field of sensors, and particularly relates to a composite sensor and composite detection equipment. The composite sensor comprises a spherical probe shell; the capacitive pressure sensor array is positioned on the outer surface of the inner ring of the outer surface of the spherical probe shell; the flexible piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer array is located on the outer ring of the inner surface of the spherical probe shell and penetrates through the inner surface and the outer surface of the spherical probe shell; the bulk piezoelectric ceramic is located on the inner surface, opposite to the capacitive pressure sensor array, of the inner ring of the spherical probe shell; according to the invention, through the design of the spherical probe shell, the fitting degree with a detected surface is enhanced; through the design of a capacitive pressure sensor array, a flexible piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer array and bulk piezoelectric ceramics, synchronous acquisition of pressure distribution and internal structure information is realized, and the characteristics of intuition of bionic palpation and high precision, no radiation and the like of ultrasonic imaging are fused. The advantages of the bionic palpation technology and the ultrasonic imaging technology can be exerted at the same time.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to the technical field of sensors, and in particular relates to a composite sensor and a composite detection device. Background Art

[0002] Bionic palpation technology mainly simulates the tactile perception of human skin to objects. Human skin has a complex sensory network that can accurately perceive and distinguish various external stimuli such as pressure, strain, temperature, humidity, etc. In bionic palpation sensors, by using flexible materials, piezoresistive effect, piezoelectric effect and other technologies, it is possible to perceive the surface morphology, hardness, temperature and other characteristics of objects. These bionic palpation sensors can be used for palpation examinations in the medical field, and by simulating the doctor's palpation technique, they can help doctors more accurately judge the health status of patients.

[0003] Ultrasound imaging is a non-invasive, radiation-free medical imaging technology with high precision. It uses the reflection and propagation characteristics of ultrasound in the human body to form images of internal tissues. Ultrasound imaging can clearly show the structure, morphology and position of internal tissues in the human body. Compared with radioactive medical imaging technologies such as X-rays, ultrasound imaging is harmless to the human body and can be performed repeatedly without worrying about radiation damage.

[0004] Currently, the diagnostic results of bionic palpation sensors rely heavily on the experience and subjective judgment of clinicians. At the same time, ultrasound imaging technology shows low sensitivity in identifying small lesions, which may affect the accuracy of diagnostic results. Summary of the invention

[0005] Based on the problems existing in the prior art, the present invention provides a composite sensor and a composite detection device.

[0006] In a first aspect of the present invention, the present invention provides a composite sensor, comprising:

[0007] Spherical probe housing;

[0008] A capacitive pressure sensor array is located on the outer surface of the inner ring of the spherical probe housing;

[0009] The flexible piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer array is located on the outer ring of the spherical probe shell and penetrates the inner and outer surfaces of the spherical probe shell;

[0010] The bulk piezoelectric ceramic is located on the inner surface of the inner ring of the spherical probe housing opposite to the capacitive pressure sensor array.

[0011] Optionally, the bulk piezoelectric ceramic formed structure is a bulk piezoelectric ceramic array.

[0012] Optionally, the bulk piezoelectric ceramic and the capacitive pressure sensor array are fixed by an adhesive.

[0013] Optionally, the gap between capacitor plates of the capacitive pressure sensor array is smaller than half the wavelength of ultrasound.

[0014] Optionally, the capacitive pressure sensor array and the flexible piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer array work independently in time sharing.

[0015] Optionally, the flexible piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer array is a piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducer array or a capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer array.

[0016] Optionally, the spherical probe shell mimics the surface shape of a fingertip of a human finger.

[0017] In a second aspect of the present invention, the present invention further provides a composite detection device, comprising a detection device body and a composite sensor as described in the first aspect of the present invention, wherein at least a portion of the composite sensor is disposed in the detection device body.

[0018] Optionally, the detection device body includes an external control circuit and a control display component.

[0019] Beneficial effects of the present invention:

[0020] The above-mentioned composite sensor and composite detection equipment can be integrated into an integrated package by providing a spherical probe shell and a capacitive pressure sensor array, a flexible piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer array and a bulk piezoelectric ceramic deployed on the inner and outer circles of the spherical probe shell, so that the size of the composite sensor is very small, which is conducive to use in actual medical scenarios; the above-mentioned composite sensor and composite detection equipment integrate bionic palpation with ultrasonic imaging functions, further improving the accuracy of breast disease diagnosis, etc., and solving the problems of high misdiagnosis risk and radiation exposure risk of traditional single detection technology. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a composite sensor provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the internal structure of a composite sensor provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of a composite sensor provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 4 Another schematic diagram of the internal structure of the composite sensor provided in an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0026] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms "center", "up", "down", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "inside", "outside", etc. indicate directions or positional relationships based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific direction, be constructed and operated in a specific direction. Therefore, they cannot be understood as limitations on the present invention.

[0027] At present, the existing means of breast cancer screening mainly include clinical breast palpation, breast ultrasound, breast mammography, breast MRI, etc. Clinical breast palpation refers to a method in which the doctor touches and presses the breast and surrounding tissues with his fingers to sense whether there are abnormal lumps, nodules or pain symptoms in the breast. It is simple, easy to perform and highly repeatable, but highly dependent on the doctor's clinical experience and subjective judgment, and there is a risk of misdiagnosis; breast ultrasound examination is simple, safe, radiation-free, and highly repeatable, but has low sensitivity in identifying small lesions; breast mammography is a method recommended by international guidelines, but X-ray penetration is poor, and it is not easy to detect smaller lumps, which may lead to missed diagnosis in 30% of patients, and there is radiation, so the pros and cons of screening are controversial; breast MRI is expensive and is mainly used for screening high-risk people.

[0028] The composite sensor and composite detection device provided in this embodiment can provide medical staff with detection information about the composite sensor and the composite detection device when in contact with the surface to be detected of the detection object, such as the surface of breast tissue, to provide a safer and more accurate effect for the detection object.

[0029] Based on this, some embodiments described herein provide a composite sensor and a composite detection device, which are used in some disease screening, such as breast cancer screening; the present invention proposes an innovative bionic palpation and ultrasonic composite sensor technology solution, which aims to overcome the limitations of the existing technology in a single detection mode, integrate the intuitiveness of bionic palpation with the high precision and radiation-free characteristics of ultrasonic imaging, and can simultaneously play the advantages of palpation and ultrasonic diagnosis, and further improve the accuracy of breast disease diagnosis. The present invention adopts a clever integration of capacitive pressure sensor array and flexible piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer array technology, and the two are uniformly and densely deployed on the surface of the same spherical probe shell. The capacitive pressure sensor array is densely distributed, and the pressure distribution of the contact surface is accurately sensed by the change of capacitance, so as to realize the pressure perception of the surface of the detection object; at the same time, the combination of the flexible piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer array and the bulk piezoelectric ceramic is used as an ultrasonic transceiver unit to complete the transmission and reception of ultrasonic waves, respectively, and can realize high-resolution ultrasonic imaging, for example, it can realize the imaging of the internal structure of the breast.

[0030] This embodiment provides a composite sensor, such as Figure 1-3 As shown, it includes a spherical probe shell 1; the spherical probe shell 1 is divided into an inner and outer ring, the inner ring of the spherical probe shell 1 refers to a relatively small spherical area close to the center of the spherical probe shell, and the outer ring of the spherical probe shell 2 refers to a relatively large spherical area away from the center of the spherical probe shell; a capacitive pressure sensor array 2 is located on the outer surface of the inner ring of the spherical probe shell 1; a flexible piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer array 3 is located on the outer ring of the spherical probe shell 1 and penetrates the inner and outer surfaces of the spherical probe shell; a bulk piezoelectric ceramic 4 is located on the inner surface of the inner ring of the spherical probe shell opposite to the capacitive pressure sensor array.

[0031] The present embodiment enhances the fit with the detected surface through the design of the spherical probe shell 1, which is more conducive to obtaining more accurate sensing detection results; since the spherical probe shell 1 is divided into two inner and outer circles, the outer surface of the inner circle is provided with a capacitive pressure sensor array 2, which can accurately sense the pressure distribution and texture changes of the tissue, simulate and exceed the perception ability of traditional clinical palpation, and the inner surface of the inner circle is provided with a bulk piezoelectric ceramic 4; the bulk piezoelectric ceramic 4 capacitive pressure sensor array 2 acts as an ultrasonic transmitting transducer to emit high-frequency ultrasonic pulses into the breast tissue; the outer circle is provided with a flexible piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer array 3, which can act as an ultrasonic receiving transducer to receive signals reflected from the inside of the breast tissue, thereby constructing a high-resolution ultrasonic image.

[0032] By setting the bulk piezoelectric ceramic 4 as an ultrasonic transmitting transducer, the conversion of electrical energy to mechanical energy is realized; the bulk piezoelectric ceramic 4 is used to realize the fine capture of the pressure distribution of the surface to be detected, simulating the delicate perception ability of biological palpation; and by setting the flexible piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer array 3 as an ultrasonic receiving transducer, the conversion of mechanical energy to electrical energy is realized, and high-resolution internal structure imaging is achieved by virtue of the high efficiency, small size and other characteristics of the flexible piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer array 3; the capacitive pressure sensor array 2 is used to realize the fine capture of the pressure distribution of the surface to be detected, simulating the delicate perception ability of biological palpation, and can help doctors to more accurately judge the health status of patients by simulating the doctor's palpation technique; the combination of the above sensors realizes the synchronous acquisition of internal structure information, combines the intuitiveness of bionic palpation with the high precision and radiation-free characteristics of ultrasonic imaging, and can simultaneously give play to the advantages of bionic palpation technology and ultrasonic imaging technology.

[0033] It can be understood that in the embodiment of the present application, the capacitive pressure sensor array 2 is composed of a plurality of uniformly arranged capacitive pressure sensors; the flexible piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer array 3 is composed of a plurality of uniformly arranged flexible piezoelectric ultrasonic transducers. The capacitive pressure sensor array 2 and the flexible piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer array 3 are not limited to square arrays, cylindrical arrays or spherical arrays, but can also be arrays of other shapes; the capacitive pressure sensor array 2 and the flexible piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer array 3 designed by this uniform array layout ensure the richness and accuracy of the detection data.

[0034] In some embodiments, the spherical probe shell 1 is a shell structure with a certain thickness, and the spherical probe shell 1 is bionic to the surface shape of human fingertips; human fingertips are usually hemispherical or elliptical, with a smooth curved surface and a certain elasticity. In this embodiment, the spherical probe shell 1 is bionic to the surface shape of human fingertips. This shape helps to increase the contact area with the object and improve the sensitivity of tactile perception. Specifically, the spherical probe shell 1 is a hemispherical cavity structure, the outer surface of its inner ring is distributed with a capacitive pressure sensor array 2, the inner surface of its inner ring is distributed with a block piezoelectric ceramic 4, and the inner and outer surfaces of its outer ring are penetrated by a flexible piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer array 3. This spherical probe shell 1 can enhance the fit with the detected surface. The detected surface in this embodiment can be the breast skin surface of the detected object.

[0035] In the embodiment of the present invention, the capacitive pressure sensor senses pressure by measuring the change in capacitance between capacitor plates. The gap between capacitor plates is one of the important factors affecting the change in capacitance. When the gap between capacitor plates changes, the capacitance of the capacitor will also change, thereby reflecting the change in pressure.

[0036] Based on this, in this embodiment, the gap between the capacitor plates of each capacitive pressure sensor in the capacitive pressure sensor array 2 is set to be less than half the wavelength of the ultrasonic wave, and the half wavelength of the ultrasonic wave is expressed as λ / 2=v / f / 2, where λ refers to the propagation distance of the ultrasonic wave in a complete cycle, v is the speed of sound, and the unit is usually meters per second (m / s), and f is the frequency, and the unit is usually Hertz (Hz); when the gap between the capacitor plates of each capacitive pressure sensor is less than half the wavelength of the ultrasonic wave, the ultrasonic wave will not be reflected multiple times in the capacitive pressure sensor. This helps to improve the performance of the composite sensor, reduce signal interference and distortion, and thus improve ultrasonic imaging and obtain higher quality detection data.

[0037] For example, the ultrasonic frequency is usually 7-13MHz, and its propagation speed in the air is 340m / s. The propagation speed in materials such as silicon is much greater than this speed. Using air as an example, it is calculated that the half-wavelength range of ultrasonic waves is 26-48μm, and the gap between the capacitor plates of the capacitive pressure sensor can be 10μm. At this time, the ultrasonic wave will not produce multiple reflections in the capacitive pressure sensor.

[0038] In some embodiments, the capacitive pressure sensor array may be a collection of several capacitive pressure sensors arranged in a flat, dispersed manner, and the electrode layers of the same polarity in all the capacitive pressure sensors are connected through circuits and led to the outside for signal processing and measurement.

[0039] Exemplarily, the capacitive pressure sensor array is evenly distributed on the outer surface of the inner ring of the spherical probe housing 1 to form a matrix structure of rows and columns. Such an array can be used to monitor the pressure distribution in a large area and at a specific location.

[0040] Exemplarily, the capacitive pressure sensor array can also be made of flexible material, so that the entire capacitive pressure sensor array forms a matrix structure of rows and columns, can adapt to curved or non-planar surfaces, and can adapt to the outer surface of the inner ring of the spherical probe housing 1, so as to be able to biomimetic the surface shape of the fingertips of human fingers, thereby better fitting the human body parts.

[0041] In some embodiments, the capacitive pressure sensor array may be composed of an elastic diaphragm, a fixed electrode, a capacitor, an insulating medium, a circuit interface, and a lead or a connector; the elastic diaphragm is the part of the capacitive pressure sensor array that is directly in contact with the detection object, and when the applied pressure acts on the diaphragm, it will deform. The fixed electrode corresponds to the elastic diaphragm is one or more fixed electrodes, which together constitute a pair of plates of the capacitor. In some examples, the fixed electrode can also be a multilayer structure to meet different measurement requirements. The capacitor is composed of the elastic diaphragm (as a movable electrode) and a fixed electrode. When the elastic diaphragm is deformed due to external pressure, the distance between it and the fixed electrode changes, thereby changing the capacitance value of the capacitor. This capacitance change can be used to calculate the pressure applied. The insulating medium is located between the two plates, plays the role of electrical isolation, and its dielectric constant affects the capacitance value of the capacitor. In some examples, air itself can act as an insulating medium; while in other examples, solid or liquid materials may be used to enhance performance; the circuit interface may include an oscillator, a demodulator, or other type of signal conditioning circuit to accurately read and amplify tiny capacitance changes, capable of converting physical capacitance changes into a usable electrical signal output; the leads or connectors are used to connect the capacitive pressure sensor array to an external circuit so that data can be transmitted for further analysis or display.

[0042] In some embodiments, in order to reduce the signal crosstalk between the capacitive pressure sensor array and the flexible piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer array, the present embodiment adopts dual-mode time-sharing independent operation; the capacitive pressure sensor array and the flexible piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer array work independently in time-sharing; the two sensor arrays will not be activated or operated at the same time, but work separately in a certain time sequence. This time-sharing independent operation method can ensure that each sensor array can perform at its best performance in its specific application scenario while avoiding interference with each other.

[0043] Exemplarily, a method for realizing time-sharing and independent operation of the capacitive pressure sensor array and the flexible piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer array can adopt a time switching circuit. The time switching circuit can control the switch states of different sensor arrays according to a preset time sequence; for example, at time t1, the capacitive pressure sensor array is controlled to be in an on state, and the flexible piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer array is in an off state; at time t2, the capacitive pressure sensor array is controlled to be in an off state, and the flexible piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer array is in an on state. This ensures that each sensor array can perform at its best while avoiding interference with each other.

[0044] In some embodiments, the flexible piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer array may be composed of a flexible electrode and a flexible substrate; the flexible electrode is the key electrical connection part of the flexible ultrasonic transducer, for example, metal nanowires and nanoparticles are constructed into waves, snakes or meshes to convert tensile strains through vertical movement to achieve stretchability; and new materials with flexible and stretchable properties are also used, such as organic semiconductors, conductive polymers, carbon nanotubes, graphene, etc. The flexible substrate enables it to fit on irregularly shaped detection objects such as human skin, ensuring that the flexible piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer array can work stably and provide accurate ultrasonic signals.

[0045] In some embodiments, the flexible piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer array is a piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducer array (PMUT array) or a capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer array (CMUT array). Among them, the PMUT array works based on the piezoelectric effect. When the ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic transmitting transducer acts on the piezoelectric material of the piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducer array, it will cause the deformation of the piezoelectric material, and then generate a voltage signal to realize the conversion of mechanical energy to electrical energy. Since the PMUT array has a high energy conversion efficiency and receiving sensitivity, when the flexible piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer array adopts the PMUT array, high-resolution internal structure imaging can be achieved. The CMUT array is manufactured based on the capacitive sensing principle and micromechanical (MEMS) technology. When the ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic transmitting transducer acts on the film of the capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer array, the film receives the ultrasonic wave and vibrates under the action of the sound pressure, causing the capacitance value of the capacitor to change, thereby realizing the conversion of mechanical energy into electrical energy. Since the CMUT array has the advantages of wide bandwidth, high energy conversion efficiency, high receiving sensitivity, and high detection accuracy, when the flexible piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer array adopts the CMUT array, high-resolution internal structure imaging can be achieved.

[0046] It should be noted that the flexible piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer array of this embodiment may not be limited to a piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducer array (PMUT array) or a capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer array (CMUT array), but may also be a flexible device that can be used as an ultrasonic receiving transducer. Since these flexible piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer arrays have the characteristics of high receiving sensitivity, small size, and controllable number of array elements, high-resolution internal structure imaging can be achieved.

[0047] In some embodiments, the piezoelectric ceramic block 4 can be made of piezoelectric material, such as PZT-5H. The piezoelectric material has a piezoelectric effect and can realize the mutual conversion between mechanical signals and electrical signals. When the piezoelectric material is subjected to an electric field, it will produce mechanical deformation and emit ultrasonic waves; conversely, when the piezoelectric material is subjected to mechanical pressure, it will generate an electrical signal.

[0048] In some embodiments, the bulk piezoelectric ceramic 4 can be a bulk piezoelectric ceramic forming structure, that is, the bulk piezoelectric ceramic 4 is a complete piezoelectric ceramic block, which can ensure that there are no seams or joints inside the piezoelectric ceramic block, thereby improving its mechanical strength, reliability and performance consistency; in this form, the piezoelectric ceramic block can exert its piezoelectric effect as a whole. For example, a complete piezoelectric ceramic block can sense external pressure and convert it into an electrical signal for output.

[0049] In some embodiments, the bulk piezoelectric ceramic 4 may also be a bulk piezoelectric ceramic array 41, such as Figure 4 As shown, each bulk piezoelectric ceramic array includes multiple piezoelectric ceramic blocks, and the multiple piezoelectric ceramic blocks are arranged and combined according to a certain pattern. This array form of bulk piezoelectric ceramic array can achieve more complex control and response. The bulk piezoelectric ceramic array can accurately control the emission direction of ultrasonic waves, thereby achieving precise positioning and detection of the surface to be detected. The bulk piezoelectric ceramic array can also achieve higher sensitivity and a larger dynamic range.

[0050] Exemplarily, each independent array element in the bulk piezoelectric ceramic array 41 transmits an ultrasonic signal to the detection object in turn, and the echo signal is returned after being reflected by the detection object. After the flexible piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer array 3 located on the outer ring of the spherical probe shell 1 receives the echo signal, the capacitive pressure sensor array 2 starts working again; this cycle realizes the composite sensing function.

[0051] It is understandable that since multiple bulk piezoelectric ceramics can work simultaneously, piezoelectric ceramics in array form can capture weaker signal changes and process and analyze them more accurately. At the same time, piezoelectric ceramics in array form can also withstand greater mechanical stress and temperature changes, thereby improving their reliability and stability in composite sensors.

[0052] In some embodiments, the bulk piezoelectric ceramic 4 and the capacitive pressure sensor array 2 are fixed by an adhesive; the adhesive has good adhesion, temperature resistance and chemical stability to ensure the close bonding and long-term reliability between the bulk piezoelectric ceramic 4 and the capacitive pressure sensor array 2, so as to facilitate the ingenious integration of the capacitive pressure sensor array and the flexible piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer array technology, and both are uniformly and densely deployed on the same spherical probe housing surface to achieve high-resolution ultrasonic imaging and pressure sensing. Exemplarily, the adhesive can be an adhesive material such as epoxy resin glue, phenolic resin glue and silicone rubber.

[0053] In some embodiments, this embodiment further provides a composite detection device, including a detection device body and the composite sensor, wherein at least a portion of the composite sensor is disposed in the detection device body.

[0054] In some embodiments, the detection device body includes a detection shell, an external control circuit, an image display component, and a signal and system processing circuit.

[0055] In some embodiments, one side of the composite sensor is attached to the surface of the breast skin of the test object, and the external control circuit turns on the ultrasonic transceiver unit, and the piezoelectric ceramic block (or block array) transmits ultrasonic waves. After reflection by human tissue, the flexible piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer array, such as the PMUT (CMUT) unit, completes the reception of ultrasonic signals; the external control circuit turns off the ultrasonic transceiver unit, turns on the capacitive pressure sensor array, and collects pressure signals. The signals collected by the flexible piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer and the capacitive pressure sensor array are sent to the back-end signal and system processing circuit for signal processing, and image conversion is completed to obtain accurate test results, and the test results are displayed through the image display component.

[0056] In some embodiments, the external control circuit is responsible for the switch control, parameter setting, and connection and communication with external devices of the composite detection device. It ensures that the composite detection device can operate according to the predetermined mode and requirements, can control the flexible piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer and the capacitive pressure sensor array and the first-level piezoelectric ceramic block to achieve the corresponding functions, integrates the bionic palpation with the ultrasonic imaging function, further improves the accuracy of breast disease diagnosis, etc., and solves the problems of high risk of misdiagnosis and radiation exposure of traditional single detection technology.

[0057] In some embodiments, the signal and system processing circuit can receive the signal output by the sensor, perform amplification, filtering, analog-to-digital conversion and other processing, and finally output the processed data to the image display component or external device. It can include an amplifier, a filter, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), a microprocessor (such as a single-chip microcomputer, DSP, etc.) and related interface circuits. The weak signal output by the composite sensor is first amplified and filtered to improve the signal-to-noise ratio and anti-interference ability of the signal. Then, the analog signal is converted into a digital signal through an analog-to-digital converter for subsequent digital signal processing. The microprocessor is responsible for executing various algorithms and programs, further analyzing and processing the digital signal, and finally obtaining the required test results, which can be presented in the form of graphics or numbers through the image display component.

[0058] In some embodiments, the image display component is used to display the data or images detected by the sensor in real time, so that the user can intuitively understand the state or characteristics of the detected object; it may include a display screen (such as LCD, LED, OLED, etc.) and related drive circuits and image processing modules. After the data captured by the composite sensor is processed, it is presented in the form of graphics or numbers through the image display component. Users, such as doctors, can quickly judge and analyze the test results by observing the information on the image display component.

[0059] The composite sensor and composite detection equipment of the embodiments of the present invention integrate bionic palpation with ultrasonic imaging functions, further improving the accuracy of breast disease diagnosis, etc., and solving the problems of high risk of misdiagnosis and radiation exposure risk of traditional single detection technology.

[0060] In the description of the present invention, it is necessary to understand that the terms "coaxial", "bottom", "one end", "top", "middle", "the other end", "upper", "one side", "top", "inside", "outside", "front", "center", "both ends" and the like indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the referred device or element must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present invention.

[0061] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly stipulated and limited, the terms such as "installation", "setting", "connection", "fixation" and "rotation" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral one; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium; it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. Unless otherwise clearly defined, ordinary technicians in this field can understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0062] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and variations may be made to the embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, and that the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A composite sensor, characterized in that: include: Spherical probe housing; A capacitive pressure sensor array is located on the outer surface of the inner ring of the spherical probe housing; The flexible piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer array is located on the outer ring of the spherical probe shell and penetrates the inner and outer surfaces of the spherical probe shell; The bulk piezoelectric ceramic is located on the inner surface of the inner ring of the spherical probe housing opposite to the capacitive pressure sensor array.

2. The composite sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bulk piezoelectric ceramic is a bulk piezoelectric ceramic formed structure or a bulk piezoelectric ceramic array.

3. The composite sensor according to claim 2, characterized in that: The bulk piezoelectric ceramic and the capacitive pressure sensor array are fixed by an adhesive.

4. The composite sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The gap between the capacitor plates of the capacitive pressure sensor array is smaller than half the wavelength of the ultrasonic wave.

5. The composite sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The capacitive pressure sensor array and the flexible piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer array work independently in time-sharing.

6. The composite sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The flexible piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer array is a piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducer array or a capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer array.

7. The composite sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The spherical probe shell mimics the surface shape of the fingertip of a human finger.

8. A composite detection device, characterized in that: It comprises a detection device body and a composite sensor as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein at least a part of the composite sensor is arranged in the detection device body.

9. The composite detection device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The detection device body includes a detection shell, an external control circuit, an image display component, and a signal and system processing circuit.

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