Seems worth mentioning that incorrectly used an ultrasound can burn bones. (Specific frequencies in bony areas moved too slowly).<p>I didn't do enough research to understand this (but just enough to verify it). I learned it initially from my wife who's an NP. When I mentioned a previous DIY ultrasound article to her she looked skeptical and mentioned the risk of bone burns.
The github is a little more descriptive and answers a few more questions: <a href="https://github.com/kelu124/un0rick/" rel="nofollow">https://github.com/kelu124/un0rick/</a> (though don't expect all your questions to be answered here either).<p>I'm curious what the FPGA approach offers above a regular CPU/DSP approach in plain English (quod non intellegunt: technerdese attracts followers, latinnerdese less so). I've been interested in FPGA's since dabbling with them a couple years ago but haven't come across a use case that's tangibly beneficial yet. If this is one, I'd love to contribute, but I'm not so far gleaning that from the docs. Can OP assist here?
An amazing portable US is soon coming from Butterfly Network. The transducer plus DSP is on a very large integrated circuit, and it can do breathtaking stuff for a device of this size and cost, like real time Doppler US (show blood flow in the image).<p><a href="https://www.butterflynetwork.com" rel="nofollow">https://www.butterflynetwork.com</a>
It uses Project Icestorm which is absolutely great. So much better using an open source toolchain than the proprietary horrors that FPGA vendors inflict on us. I wrote a quick intro here: <a href="https://rwmj.wordpress.com/2018/03/17/playing-with-picorv32-on-the-ice40-hx8k-fpga-breakout-board-part-1/" rel="nofollow">https://rwmj.wordpress.com/2018/03/17/playing-with-picorv32-...</a><p>It's a real shame that larger FPGAs aren't yet supported.
Cool project :)<p>I just got back from shenzhen where I purchased a handheld ultrasound probe with built-in screen about the size of a really chunky smartphone for $1800 with wifi & connection to ios/android
My understanding is that the probes are the expensive part. The rest is added value, for sure, but there is something of a monopoly on high quality piezo crystals used in the probes. This ensures that the current players don't compete much on price.