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A Highly Flexible Piezoelectric Ultrasonic Sensor for Wearable Bone Density Testing.
Zhiqiang Song1, Bozhi Wang2, Zhuo Zhang2
1Department of Automation and Robotics Engineering, School of Automation, Wuxi University, Wuxi 214105, China.
Micromachines
|September 28, 2023
Summary
A new flexible ultrasonic bone testing system was developed for real-time osteoporosis monitoring in the elderly. This wearable device uses advanced piezoelectric ceramics and axial transmission technology for accurate bone health assessments.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Materials Science
- Medical Devices
Background:
- Osteoporosis affects the elderly due to bone calcium loss, necessitating regular bone status checks.
- Current bone testing equipment is often cumbersome, highlighting the need for portable, real-time healthcare solutions.
- Wearable real-time healthcare devices are emerging as a key research area for proactive health management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and develop a high-performance, flexible ultrasonic bone testing system for real-time osteoporosis detection.
- To utilize quantitative ultrasound theory and axial transmission technology for enhanced bone assessment.
- To create a wearable device for convenient and continuous monitoring of bone health.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis and characterization of a novel rare-earth-element-doped PMN-PZT piezoelectric ceramic using solid-state reaction, X-ray diffraction, and SEM.
- Fabrication of a flexible hardware circuit integrating a pulse excitation module, ultrasound array, amplification, filtering, digital-to-analog conversion, and wireless transmission on a PDMS substrate.
- Development of a flexible ultrasonic array for axial transmission measurements.
Main Results:
- Achieved a high piezoelectric coefficient (d33 = 525 pC/N) and electromechanical coupling factors (k33 = 0.77, kt = 0.58, kp = 0.63) in 1%La/Sm-doped 0.17 PMN-0.47 PZ-0.36 PT ceramics.
- Demonstrated high power transfer efficiency (35%) and power intensity (55.4 mW/cm²) in the flexible hardware circuit.
- Successfully examined humerus, femur, and fibula with the flexible device, displaying real-time bone condition on a mobile client.
Conclusions:
- The developed flexible ultrasonic bone testing system shows significant potential for clinical application in wearable healthcare.
- The system enables real-time, non-invasive monitoring of bone status, particularly for the elderly at risk of osteoporosis.
- This wearable technology offers a promising advancement in personalized and accessible health diagnostics.
