Acertara Acoustic Laboratories will debut its latest product, the Active-Z handheld ultrasound probe testing device, at the upcoming AAMI conference in Philadelphia. This point-of-measurement tool is designed to enable biomedical engineering professionals to rapidly and easily diagnose potentially defective probes.
Using a proprietary swept-frequency technique, the unit transmits a broadband signal through a stylus into one of the probe connector’s pins. The Active-Z receives the returning signal via the stylus and measures the resulting complex impedance between the probe connector and the acoustic stack within the probe housing. This technique allows users to determine the root of the problem, such as a broken wire within the cable, a defect in the cable termination to the array, or a glitch within the array itself, such as a dead element or a delaminated lens.
“Active-Z represents a new way to analyze the performance of an ultrasound probe and get to the diagnosis of the failure quickly,” said G. Wayne Moore, president and CEO of Acertara. “About the size of a smart phone, Active-Z could be easily carried by the engineer to the ultrasound laboratory within the hospital for probe testing. Our design and development team has a long history of developing new and innovative ultrasound test devices. Active-Z represents an exciting continuation of that legacy.”
Located at booth 625, Acertara will also be showing a new 3D tissue phantom test product at AAMI.
