Séminaire Martial Defoort

Author:  Martial Defoort
Time: 11H00
Language: French/English
Place: Conference Room at LabTAU

Abstract: Ultrasounds for embedded applications: from power transfer to secured communications.

This presentation will focus on the generation and exploitation of ultrasound produced by piezoelectric transducers ranging from centimeter-scale devices (e.g., ceramic types) to micrometer-scale devices (e.g., PMUTs), operating from the linear to the nonlinear regime. In the first part, the emphasis will be placed on the use of these devices in the linear regime for wireless power transfer, with the goal of efficiently recharging medical implants located deep within the human body. Preliminary results demonstrate that acoustic energy can be transmitted through biological tissues at power levels sufficient to supply devices such as pacemakers, while complying with medical safety requirements.

In the second part, the presentation explores the potential of the nonlinear regime of PMUTs, particularly their ability to generate chaotic signals, for use in acoustic cryptography. By leveraging the intrinsic dynamic complexity of these systems, it becomes possible to envision secure communication schemes between external devices and medical implants, making data exchanges more resistant to interception or hacking. This presentation will highlight the feasibility of generating such chaotic behavior using standard PMUTs, without requiring significant hardware modifications, paving the way for easy integration into existing systems. This original approach, at the crossroads of nonlinear physics, microtechnology, and medical cybersecurity, offers a promising new avenue for securing the next generation of connected implants.