Eco-friendly silicon patch delivers clearer ultrasound images without harmful lead components

Wearable ultrasound gadgets are actively utilized in varied medical settings, together with hospital diagnostics, rehabilitation monitoring, and telemedicine. However, most industrial gadgets presently depend on lead (Pb)-based piezoelectric ceramics, that are harmful 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 substitute lead whereas reaching high performance.

A analysis workforce led by Dr. Byung Chul Lee on the Bionics Research Center of the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), in collaboration with Prof. Jae-Woong Jeong at KAIST, Prof. Whal Lee at Seoul National University Hospital, and Prof. Pierre T. Khuri-Yakub at Stanford University, has developed a silicon-based disposable eco-friendly ultrasound patch.

The work is published within the journal Nature Communications.

This achievement marks the primary realization of superior efficiency past standard high-cost lead-based ultrasound transducers without utilizing lead in any respect.

The workforce fabricated an ultrathin patch only some hundred micrometers thick by exactly processing silicon right into a nanocolumn construction utilizing semiconductor know-how. By eliminating the matching and backing layers—components thought of important in standard ultrasound transducers—they succeeded in sustaining secure efficiency whereas reaching a versatile and skinny construction.

As a outcome, the brand new device delivers improved output and image quality whereas fully eradicating lead.

The patch’s efficiency and applicability have been verified in precise experiments. Compared to industrial transducers, it demonstrated over 30% greater output stress, producing considerably improved picture high quality.

It was additionally capable of reliably measure blood circulation 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 displays, confirming its potential for medical functions. The know-how is predicted to be broadly utilized in telemedicine and customized well being care 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 value is estimated at about 1/20 that of standard lead-based gadgets, making it extremely economical and environmentally pleasant.

The workforce expects it would lead the marketplace for disposable ultrasound patches. They plan to additional validate its security and reliability in various scientific environments and broaden its functions to varied medical fields, together with early analysis of cardiovascular ailments, 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 added, “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 functions for ultrasound imaging.”