Post by Fraunhofer Institute for Silicon Technology ISIT

#Ultrasound has long been considered a reliable and established technology. Today, it is becoming programmable. 🎯With beamforming, acoustic waves can be precisely shaped, steered, and focused. Instead of distributing energy broadly, it can be directed exactly where it is needed. This opens up possibilities that were difficult to realize just a few years ago: - Portable ultrasound devices with high-resolution imaging - More precise environmental sensing for robotics and autonomous systems - Touchless gesture control and haptic user interfaces - Non-destructive testing of complex components and industrial processes - Communication and sensing systems for underwater applications A key technological foundation for these advances is provided by PMUT arrays (Piezoelectric Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducers). These piezoelectric #MEMS structures enable compact, energy-efficient, and CMOS-compatible ultrasound systems that can be seamlessly integrated into next-generation electronic platforms. At Fraunhofer ISIT, we develop the underlying PiezoMEMS technologies required for these systems—from materials, like AlScN, and process development to actuator design and scalable manufacturing. Beamforming is far more than just a new ultrasound capability. It expands the ways technical systems can perceive, analyze, and interact with their environment. #Fraunhofer #FraunhoferISIT