It has been well established that the bone age of a child can be estimated by using X-ray, CT, MRI, and other large medical imaging devices. While other less expensive and non-radioactive methodology use ultrasonography, these devices are bulky and often require trained technicians to use properly. This project introduces a low-cost, miniaturized device for bone age assessments by microelectromechanical system (MEMS) technologies in the form of a piezoelectric micromachined ultrasound transducer (pMUT). By integrating Aluminum nitride (AlN) into our 5 mm pMUT, we are capable of transmitting and receiving 5.6 MHz ultrasound signal on the same chip. Furthermore, with the implementation of advanced beamforming algorithms we have shown the ability to recognize the presence of growth plates within the wrist and middle phalanx of the third finger within a phantom hand structure.
Project is currently funded by: Industry Sponsor