ABSTRACT

Ultrasound devices have been increasingly utilized for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases such as cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancer, and conditions relevant to rehabilitation medicine. In this talk, the design, fabrication, and experimental validation of micro- and nanotechnology-enabled piezoelectric transducers for ultra-sound sensing, imaging, and therapy are presented.

High-frequency micromachined piezoelectric one to three composite transducers were investigated for advanced intravascular ultra-sound (IVUS) imaging. In addition, small-aperture, forward-looking multilayer piezoelectric transducers and vortex ultrasound transducers were demonstrated for effective microbubble- and nanodroplet-mediated intravenous sonothrombolysis. Furthermore, miniaturized piezoelectric transducers were developed for catheter and needle based sonoporation, resulting in significantly enhanced localized drug delivery.

More recently, flexible piezoelectric transducers were developed for wearable ultrasound monitoring of blood pressure and muscle activity in assistive robotic applications. A wearable ultrasound sensing framework integrated with machine learning (ML) was demonstrated for muscle-specific tremor monitoring, in which both tremor frequency and displacement were extracted in real time, supporting promising future deployment in adaptive neuro-modulation systems.

Collectively, these results indicate that novel piezoelectric transducer technologies can play a significant role in advancing ultra-sound imaging, therapy, and drug delivery for next-generation robotic and intelligent medicine.

BIOGRAPHY

Dr. Xiaoning Jiang is the Dean F. Duncan Distinguished Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and a University Faculty Scholar at North Carolina State University. He also holds adjunct appointments at North Carolina State University, the University of North Carolina, and Duke University. Dr. Jiang received his BS from Shanghai Jiaotong University, MS from Tianjin University, and PhD in Precision Instruments from Tsinghua University, followed by postdoctoral training at Nanyang Technological University and Penn State. Prior to joining NC State in 2009, he served as Chief Scientist and Vice President of TRS Technologies, Inc.

Dr. Jiang is widely recognized for his contributions to piezoelectric ultrasound transducers, medical ultrasound imaging and therapy, drug delivery, nondestructive evaluation, and smart materials and structures. He has authored or co-authored two books, multiple book chapters, 12 issued U.S. patents, more than 240 peer'reviewed journal articles, and over 170 conference papers. His professional service includes leadership roles within the IEEE Nanotechnology Council, where he has served as Vice President for Technical Activities, Co'Editor'in'Chief of IEEE Nanotechnology Magazine, and an IEEE NTC Distinguished Lecturer. He currently serves as the Council’s Vice President for Publications.

Dr. Jiang is an elected Fellow of ASME, SPIE, and IEEE, reflecting his sustained contributions to engineering research, innovation, and professional leadership.