Ultrasound

In 2007 the group began work with Impulse Devices, Inc. (Impulse) under the Advanced Cavitation Power Technology (ACPT) program, a cutting-edge research contract awarded to Impulse by the federal government. In addition to Impulse, the Prime Contractor, there are three subcontracting universities: Boston University, The University of Mississippi (National Center for Physical Acoustics), and The University of Washington.
Prior to the initiation of ACPT, Impulse spheres were only capable of cavitating water and other transparent media at or near ambient pressure, and virtually no diagnostics existed that were adequate to assess performance under the relevant conditions. Significant achievements and progress have been made working on three fronts: 1) diagnostics; 2) resonator development; and 3) cavitation media and triggers. The Ultrasonics Group work has centered on the first of these fronts, diagnostics.
The ultrasound group is also is focused on developing the science and engineering capabilities for constructing an ultrasonic device for the non-invasive diagnosis of traumatic brain injury. The underlying principle of the device lies with the ultrasonic scattering properties of white matter brain tissue. The strength and frequency variation of scattering can be used as a sensitive probe of the state of tissues. The non–linear properties of tissues are also important indicators of compression due to increased stresses due to pathological conditions.