Multichannel-CMUT-Evaluation-Kit

Ultrasound imaging in medical technology, non-destructive testing in industrial applications, and sensing in wearables and implants all rely on array transducers with multiple independent channels. Silicon-based ultrasonic transducers (CMUTs and PMUTs) offer significant advantages over conventional piezoelectric solutions, including compact design, lead-free materials (RoHS compliance), and precise manufacturability using semiconductor processes.

However, companies seeking to evaluate this technology for their own products currently face a major challenge: there is no affordable and flexible evaluation system available that enables independent control of multiple channels while providing full access to raw data.

Existing commercial ultrasound systems do not allow freely programmable signal generation for each channel, and received data often remain inaccessible to users. This prevents the evaluation of new signal processing methods, including AI-based approaches. The previous-generation system developed by Fraunhofer IPMS was limited to a single channel and low voltages, and therefore did not address multi-channel array applications.

MeKaCEK develops a second-generation evaluation kit featuring up to 8 independent channels, an extended voltage range (±200 V), open access to raw data, and compatibility with both CMUT and PMUT transducers from different Fraunhofer institutes. The kit will provide the first cross-technology development platform for silicon-based ultrasound applications, ready for both industrial evaluations and research activities.

Objectives

• Development, fabrication, and testing of five functional multi-channel evaluation systems as a reproducible industrial product offering
• Development of a demonstrator with basic software for direct use by industrial customers
• Establish Fraunhofer IPMS and ENAS as competence centers for multi-channel CMUT/PMUT systems