Sensant Corp intends to investigate the use of microfabricated ultrasonic transducers to enhance paramedical triage. Sensant Corp believes that recent improvements in transducer technology now enable the realization of a flexible patch composed of a 2 dimensional matrix of ultrasonic elements. Such a patch, when combined with the appropriate processing hardware and algorithms, would allow remotely located specialists to arrive at diagnoses and recommended courses of action for injured soldiers on far forward echelons. The recent application of micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) technology to ultrasonic devices has created an advanced ultrasonic sensor with significant advantages over conventional piezoelectric transducers. These new ultrasonic transducers are fabricated in the same manner as a silicon chip using a technique known as micromachining. In many cases, these devices can be monolithically integrated with conditioning electronics, and/or made to be flexible. Such flexible transducer patches would allow the remote specialist to virtually manipulate the transducer, and possibly even collect a volumetric data set. For this research, Sensant will perform a detailed feasibility study culminating in the design of a flexible ultrasonic transducer patch and corresponding beam-forming and signal processing algorithms. Tangible deliverables would include a detailed performance requirement specification for both the transducer array and the processing system and simulations demonstrating that such requirements indeed generate a useful diagnostic imaging capability. Sensant would also deliver process flows of viable fabrication schemes for both transducer and packaging. Sensant may also deliver first silicon of a simple 2-D transducer matrix, though this part of the effort would be financed with Sensant's own funds. Should the research prove successful, immediate opportunities for commercialization in civilian pramedical triage would materialize. Priceless value would be realized in the form of fewer combat fatalities and fewer civilian trauma fatalities. Furthermore, great cost savings would be achieved in both military and civilian healthcare expenditures because appropriate triage reduces the number of complications that require heroic medical efforts to overcome. If extremely successful, this effort would also improve conventional medical ultrasound even in non-triage applications.
