Digital Sonomicrometer System Overview

Sonometrics offers two hardware platforms that perform dimensional measurements using the principle of ultrasound sonomicrometry.

Our Ultrasound Dimension Gauge (UDG) is a cost effective hardware device that allows for 2 independent dimension measurements in ultrasound compatible materials by using 2 pairs of piezo-electric transducers (commonly referred to as "crystals"). The UDG outputs these dimensions as an analog voltage with a span of 0 to 5 volts. Measurements are performed at the rate of 1000 hz. The UDG comes pre-configured with a maximum measurement range of 12, 24, 50, 100 or 200 mm. The UDG measures distance in steps of 0.016 mm (16 microns) - about 63 steps per mm. The UDG provides several user-selectable static output values as calibration signals for data acquisition systems.

Our second hardware platform is known as the DS3. It connects via USB cable to any conventional desktop or laptop computer running the Windows operating system (Windows XP or higher). The DS3 measures every distance between every crystal, and comes pre-configured with 8, 16, 24 or 32 crystal input channels. The DS3 measures distance in steps of 0.0124 mm (12.4 microns) or about 80 steps per mm. The data sampling rate of the DS3 is variable and can range from 25 hz to about 2,000 hz but this is dependent on the number of crystals in use.

The DS3 has additional signal input capacity to record up to 16 external analog signals. These signals can range from +/- 10 volts. Typically, these are usually some sort of physiological signal, such as a bio-potential (EMG or ECG) and also pressure (cardiac or vascular pressures) or flow signals (again cardiac or vascular) and force signals. These signals would come from other sensors or equipment where their integration with the crystal dimension measurements allow for complex measurements, for example stress-strain or pressure-volume computations.

The DS3 also has the capability to output in real time up to 8 user-selected crystal dimensions as analog signals. These outputs have an output range of 0 to 5 volts.

The DS3 unit is controlled by our Sonolab data acquisition software. Sonolab allows the user to configure multiple data-display windows which include X-Y plots.

Both the DS3 and UDG have output connections for monitoring the raw ultrasound signals on an oscilloscope.

Note: When considering the use of external amplifiers or transducers, be aware that the equipment made by some companies (such as AD Instruments) does not provide analog output signals that can be acquired by other data acquisition systems. Users that are considering the purchase of this equipment (eg ADI) for the purpose of amplifying signals such as ECG and pressure (LVP, Aortic or systemic pressures, etc) will not be able to send these signals to the Sonometrics A/D inputs because those signals are not made available for external output.

If you have or will be using pressure sensors or pressure catheters made by Abbot, Baxter, Edwards, Millar, Konigsberg or others, *PLEASE* talk with us so we can advise you on your options as far as external pre-amplifier equipment that we know will and will not work with our system. If you do not presently have any pressure or ECG amplifier equipment, Sonometrics does have several low-cost options for easy-to-use pressure pre-amplifiers and ECG amplifiers that will work with *ANY* data acquisition system.

Software and Data Processing

Our systems come with all necessary software to acquire, display, record, and process data. This includes our SonoLab and CardioSOFT software for cardiovascular data analysis. If you have any questions regarding the specifications of our systems, or if you have a specific application in mind, don't hesitate to contact us to answer your questions.