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Ultrasound is a well-established technology in medical science, though many of the conventional measurement systems (hydrophones and radiation force balances [RFBs]) often lack accuracy and tend to be expensive. This is a significant problem where sensors must be considered to be “disposable” because they inevitably come into contact with biological fluids and expense increases dramatically in cases where a large number of sensors in array form are required. This is inevitably the case where ultrasound is to be used for the in vitro growth stimulation of a large plurality of biological samples in tissue engineering. Traditionally only a single excitation frequency is used (typically 1.5 MHz), but future research demands a larger choice of wavelengths for which a single broadband measurement transducer is desirable. Furthermore, because of implementation conditions there can also be large discrepancies between measurements. The purpose of this paper deals with a very cost-effective alternative to expensive RFBs and hydrophones.

Utilization of cost-effective piezoelectric elements as broadband sensors.

Very effective results with equivalent (if not better) accuracy than expensive alternatives.

This paper concentrates on how very cost-effective piezoelectric ultrasound transducers can be implemented as sensors for ultrasound power measurements with accuracy as good, if not better than those achievable using radiation force balances or hydrophones.

Drawing on the events of two recent motor and actuator technology conferences, reports a renewed interest in electromagnetic products. Looks, in particular, at the flat transformer which, unlike the square transformer, overcomes problems of heat generation and dissipation. Discusses the recent developments of the electrostatic micromotor and the many applications which exist for motors of this size, for instance in micro‐robots and micro‐grippers, and other new ideas such as the adhesive micro‐gripper, the piezo‐electric actuator, different shape memory alloy (SMA) profiles and applications, including a miniature inspection robot and exploitation of SMA’s superelastic qualities.