Adjustable Transcranial Ultrasound Probe With Five-DOF Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ultrasound systems face challenges in achieving stable probe positioning and orientation on a patient's head, are sensitive to patient discomfort, and are difficult to reduce weight below 100 g due to material constraints, which affects treatment efficacy and patient comfort.
Innovation Solution
A headset with a probe that allows five degrees of freedom adjustment, including x, y, z, and two orientation angles, using a fiducial system for precise alignment, a hydrogel pad for comfort, and a coupling component with adhesive tapes for stability, along with a ball joint for angular adjustment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional bulk PZT probe is used to achieve adequate ultrasound focusing and skull penetration, then the probe diameter and thickness can be sufficient for effective treatment, but the probe weight becomes too heavy (above 100 g) causing patient discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The probe is divided into multiple discrete piezoelectric elements arranged in an array rather than using a single bulk PZT transducer. This segmentation allows the ultrasound beam to be focused through electronic phasing of individual elements, achieving the required focusing capability without the weight of a traditional bulk probe.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical focusing approach of traditional bulk probes with electronic beam forming using phased array technology. By controlling the phase and amplitude of signals to individual piezoelectric elements, the system achieves acoustic focusing without requiring heavy mechanical lens structures or thick piezoelectric material.
2Reliability
If the probe is made heavier to maintain structural integrity and focusing capability, then the ultrasound treatment effectiveness is maintained, but patient comfort deteriorates due to sensitivity to headset weight and contact
Solution Approach 1:
The probe array uses multiple small piezoelectric elements instead of a single large element, distributing the mass across a larger area and reducing overall weight while maintaining the required acoustic aperture for effective treatment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material structures including lightweight support frameworks, thin acoustic coupling layers, and optimized piezoelectric element arrangements that reduce overall probe mass while preserving structural integrity and acoustic performance.
3Weight of moving object
If the probe is made lighter to improve patient comfort, then headset weight and patient sensitivity are reduced, but the probe diameter and material volume become insufficient for adequate ultrasound focusing and skull penetration
Solution Approach 1:
Electronic beam forming replaces mechanical mass with computational control. The phased array system uses software-controlled phase shifting and amplitude modulation of individual elements to achieve focusing and penetration capabilities that would otherwise require much heavier physical structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a single-dimensional bulk probe to a two-dimensional array of elements, utilizing spatial distribution across the array to achieve focusing in multiple dimensions through electronic phasing, thereby maintaining penetration capability with reduced mass.
4Reliability
If a stable probe mounting is used to prevent motion during treatment, then treatment efficacy is maintained, but patient comfort is reduced due to sensitivity to headset structures and probe contact
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates dynamic adjustment capabilities that allow real-time modification of probe position and orientation during treatment. This dynamic adaptability enables the probe to maintain optimal stability and alignment without requiring overly rigid or uncomfortable fixed mounting structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs adjustable mounting parameters including variable tension in headband components, adjustable probe angles, and repositionable elements that allow customization of the headset fit to balance stability requirements with patient comfort tolerances.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The headset provides stable, comfortable, and lightweight probe positioning, ensuring effective treatment by minimizing motion and discomfort, while maintaining precise alignment with the patient's anatomy.
Implementation Method 1
The thickness of the piezoelectric material is constrained by its resonant frequency to, for example, around 4 mm for a 500 kHz resonance
Implementation Method 2
A ball joint for angular adjustment
Implementation Method 3
a coupling component with adhesive tapes for stability
Data Source
AI summary
A cranial probe assembly comprises an ultrasound transducer packaged into a probe. A stable probe holder in the form of a fixed ring is positioned on a patient's head. The position of the probe relative to the patient's head is adjustable with five degrees of freedom comprising cartesian coordinates x and y, the z-axis normal to the probe, and two orientation angles orthogonal to the z-axis. The adjustments assure the efficacy of an ultrasound procedure.