Abhinav Swarup | Darren Velasquez | David Quan | Kaz Veitas | Yuanyang Lu
Sponsored By: Prof. Oscar Vazquez Mena
Mechanical And Aerospace Engineering | Jacobs School of Engineering
University of California, San Diego
MAE 156B Senior Design Project
Project Background
Assessing and treating the brain without invasive procedures remains one of the most significant challenges in modern medicine. While the skull provides essential protection for the brain, it also interferes with imaging methods, making it difficult to obtain clear, accurate data about brain activity and structure. Existing technologies such as MRI and CT scans rely on electromagnetic waves and, although effective, have limitations in resolution, cost, and safety when repeatedly used. This has led to growing interest in non-invasive brain interface and imaging technologies that use alternative forms of energy, particularly ultrasound, to study the brain safely and effectively.
Objective
The primary goal of this project is to develop an automated scanning system capable of mapping the attenuation of ultrasonic waves through the skull or designed metamaterial substitutes. By scanning across multiple points, the system will generate a detailed pressure map that visualizes how ultrasound energy is transmitted or absorbed by different regions. These results will help evaluate the feasibility of ultrasound as a basis for non-invasive brain imaging and may guide the design of materials that reduce sound distortion and improve image clarity.
Functional Requirements
The system will control an ultrasound transducer to emit sound waves and a hydrophone to measure the resulting pressure field after the waves pass through the sample. The scanning process will be automated, with precise movement across a defined grid to ensure consistent data collection. MATLAB will coordinate the system control, data acquisition, and processing to produce an accurate, high-resolution pressure map. The setup must accommodate various sample types and ensure repeatability, minimal noise, and reliable calibration to support further experimental and analytical research.
Design Solution Overview
The test setup consists of a few key components mounted to a carrier baseplate that is secured to a tank. This minimizes the amount of hardware that needs to be submerged in the water. In order to capture the required data, both the transducer and hydrophone are mounted on a 3-axis stage. Each movement axis is powered by a linear actuator, controlled by a DC motor controller. Each set of translation stages is secured directly to the baseplate, promoting good alignment between the movement axes. On each translation stage, an offset plate allows the V-block mount and sensor to be submerged while the rest of the components remain above water.Â
Narrated Video Showing Design
