Newswise — Wearable ultrasound gadgets are actively utilized in numerous medical settings, together with hospital diagnostics, rehabilitation monitoring, and telemedicine. However, most industrial gadgets at present depend on lead (Pb)-based piezoelectric ceramics, that are dangerous to the human physique and the atmosphere, making it tough to make sure each efficiency and security. This has elevated the demand for brand spanking new ultrasound transducer applied sciences that may fully change lead whereas attaining excessive efficiency.
The analysis staff led by Dr. Byung Chul Lee on the Bionics Research Center of the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST, President Sang-Rok Oh), in collaboration with Prof. Jae-Woong Jeong at KAIST (President Kwang-Hyung Lee), Prof. Whal Lee at Seoul National University Hospital (Director Young-Tae Kim), and Prof. Pierre T. Khuri-Yakub at Stanford University (President Jonathan Levin), introduced the event of a silicon-based disposable eco-friendly ultrasound patch. This achievement marks the primary realization of superior efficiency past standard high-cost lead-based ultrasound transducers with out utilizing lead in any respect.
The staff fabricated an ultrathin patch only some hundred micrometers thick by exactly processing silicon right into a nanocolumn construction utilizing semiconductor expertise. By eliminating the matching and backing layers—elements thought of important in standard ultrasound transducers—they succeeded in sustaining secure efficiency whereas attaining a versatile and skinny construction. As a outcome, the brand new gadget delivers improved output and picture high quality whereas fully eradicating lead.
The patch’s efficiency and applicability had been verified in precise experiments. Compared to industrial transducers, it demonstrated over 30% larger output stress, producing considerably improved picture high quality. It was additionally capable of reliably measure blood stream velocity and vessel diameter in extremely cellular areas such because the neck. In addition, it achieved over 96% accuracy in comparison with scientific blood stress screens, confirming its potential for medical functions. The expertise is anticipated to be extensively utilized in telemedicine and personalised healthcare gadgets.
Since the silicon-based ultrasound transducer is fabricated utilizing semiconductor processes, it permits low-cost, large-scale manufacturing and imposes much less environmental burden after use. In explicit, its manufacturing price is estimated at about 1/20 that of standard lead-based gadgets, making it extremely economical and environmentally pleasant. The staff expects it would lead the marketplace for disposable ultrasound patches. They plan to additional validate its security and reliability in numerous scientific environments and develop its functions to numerous medical fields, together with early prognosis of cardiovascular illnesses, rehabilitation monitoring, and psychological well being administration.
Dr. Byung Chul Lee at KIST said, “This research is highly meaningful in that we successfully developed an ultrasound patch that anyone can use safely by replacing harmful lead with silicon.”
Prof. Whal Lee at Seoul National University Hospital commented, “Compared to piezoelectric transducer-based devices, silicon-based ultrasound devices are flexible and can be manufactured in diverse forms, significantly broadening the range of medical applications for ultrasound imaging.”
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KIST was established in 1966 as the primary government-funded analysis institute in Korea. KIST now strives to unravel nationwide and social challenges and safe development engines by main and progressive analysis. For extra info, please go to KIST’s web site at https://eng.kist.re.kr/
This analysis was supported by the Ministry of Science and ICT (Minister Kyung-hoon Bae) by KIST’s Major Program, tthe Basic Research Program (RS-2024-00341714), and the Korea Medical Device Development Fund (RS-2023-00254676). The outcomes had been revealed within the newest subject of the worldwide journal Nature Communications(Impact Factor 15.7, JCR Top 6.7%).