Ultrasound image acquisition as a didactic tool

Abstract

The study of sound waves is a common subject for high school or college students which has different applications. It is also fairly instructional and useful for illustrating basic wave theory concepts. In this work we discuss an experiment regarding a technological application that is present in many different areas such as medicine and engineering: the generation of ultrasound images. We introduce the physical principle that allows the measurement of distance using ultrasound transducers, as well as the methodology used to capture, filter and process these measurements. Through the digital processing of these images we can display them in a way that allows us to identify obstacles placed in the visual area of the sensor. This experiment can be used for educational purposes or for a quantitative analysis. Due to the easy processes involved in the building and processing steps, teachers might find its construction useful for the development of interdisciplinary skills.

Keywords:
Digital Processing; Ultrasound image; HC-SR04 transducer