Directional Vibration Actuator for Shear Wave Elastography
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current shear wave elastography methods are limited by the need for specialized probe design and driving electronics, restricting their availability on standard ultrasound platforms, and lack adaptive control over vibration direction, which is essential for optimal tissue imaging.
Innovation Solution
A vibration actuator system comprising multiple rotational vibrators with independently controllable motors and an accelerometer, allowing for coordinated rotation to generate shear waves with desired directional behavior, enabling alignment with ultrasound imaging beams and efficient vibration alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a special acoustic push pulse is used for shear wave generation, then shear wave elastography can be implemented, but it creates special requirements on probe design and driving electronics, limiting availability to premium platforms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the acoustic push pulse method with a mechanical vibration source (electromagnetic driver) to generate shear waves. This substitution eliminates the need for special high-power acoustic transmission capabilities in the probe, allowing standard ultrasound probes to perform shear wave elastography. The mechanical vibration source directly contacts the tissue and generates shear waves through mechanical oscillation, bypassing the limitations of acoustic-based methods.
2Ease of operation
If a single motor with geared driver is used to rotate flywheels, then the device structure is simplified, but the vibration direction cannot be adaptively controlled to optimize shear wave measurement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the single motor system into multiple independent electromagnetic drivers (e.g., three drivers arranged in a triangular pattern). Each driver can be independently controlled to generate vibration in specific directions. This segmentation allows the system to synthesize vibration in any desired direction by coordinating the motion of individual drivers, providing adaptive directional control while maintaining relatively simple device architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic control of vibration direction by independently adjusting the amplitude and phase of each electromagnetic driver. The system can adaptively change the vibration direction in real-time based on the imaging beam direction and tissue characteristics, optimizing shear wave measurement for different anatomical locations and imaging angles.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple rotational vibrators with independent motors are used, then adaptive vibration direction control is achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple electromagnetic drivers into a single integrated vibration module that interfaces with the ultrasound probe. The drivers share common mounting structures, housing, and control electronics, merging their functions into a unified assembly. This approach achieves adaptive directional control through multiple independent actuators while minimizing overall device complexity through integration and shared components.
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
Enables shear wave elastography on a broader range of ultrasound platforms, improves vibration alignment with imaging beams, and achieves efficient, compact, and energy-efficient linear vibration generation.
Implementation Method 1
an accelerometer arranged to detect a vibration vector generated by at least two of the plurality of n rotational vibrators and generate an accelerometer output signal based on the detected vibration vector
Implementation Method 2
Each rotational vibrator comprises an independently controllable motor having a drive shaft and an eccentric disk coupled to the drive shaft in a plane perpendicular to an axis of the drive shaft
Implementation Method 3
an eccentric disk coupled to the drive shaft in a plane perpendicular to an axis of the drive shaft
Data Source
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AI summary
A vibration actuator (10) for mechanically generating a shear wave comprises a plurality of n rotational vibrators (141,142,143), an accelerometer (16), and a controller(18). The plurality of n rotational vibrators enables generation of a vibration vector with desired directional behavior selected from a plurality of vibration vectors (34,36,38) of different directional behaviors. Each rotational vibrator comprises an independently controllable motor (20) having a drive shaft (22) and an eccentric disk (24). The accelerometer is arranged to detect a vibration vector generated by at least two of the plurality of n rotational vibrators. The controller selectively controls a first set of two rotational vibrators to rotate respective eccentric disks in a first coordinated manner to produce a first vibration vector, and a second set of two rotational vibrators to rotate respective eccentric disks in a second coordinated manner to produce a second vibration vector, with different respective directional behaviors.