貼付型超音波センサによる次世代ウェアラブル医用センシングの展望

抄録

The development of wearable medical devices has progressed rapidly in recent years, especially in the domain of vital sign monitoring using optical and electrical sensors. However, the use of ultrasound—long regarded as a powerful tool for real-time internal imaging—has remained limited to stationary, hand-held applications. In this paper, we introduce a novel ultrasound array probe that is thin, flexible, and lightweight, enabling continuous and hands-free monitoring of internal body structures. By combining sol-gel spray deposition of piezoelectric composites with novel integration techniques, the proposed probe can be applied to curved and mobile regions of the body. We also discuss potential clinical applications. This technology holds great promise for democratizing ultrasound imaging beyond hospitals, bringing diagnostic capabilities to new environments and expanding the frontier of human-centered sensing.