Cohort 5 (2023)

I am a Systems engineer with a background in computer science and a master’s degree in Artificial Intelligence from the University of Aberdeen. I have had some experience working as a systems engineer for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles at the Nigerian Air Force Research and Development Centre (AFRDC). Recently, I worked at an eVTOL startup in London called Arrival as a systems engineer until I joined the PhD program at FUSE CDT. So far, I am enjoying learning the basics that would lead me into the field of ultrasonics engineering.
Reducing the use of metallic structures on aircraft, by replacement with lighter weight carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP), enables optimisation of aircraft weight. Optimisation of weight for aircraft is critical and this includes the optimisation of the electrically powered propulsion system, where the biggest challenge is electrical power system weight. An example of a near-term aircraft with electrical propulsion is an electrical vertical take-off and land (eVTOL) aircraft, e.g. CityAirbus.
CFRP has excellent mechanical properties, but it has poor conductivity compared to aluminium (~1000 times less). A gap in knowledge on the thresholds for failure of CFRP due to electrical current conduction, and methods to detect these in a non-destructive manner, results in industry standards requiring that CFRP and electrical equipment and cables are kept physically separate. This ensures that in the event of an electrical fault (e.g., due to insulation failure), electrical fault current will not flow through CFRP structures. This leads to volume and weight penalties: additional 30% weight on wiring infrastructure; 10% of power electronic weight, and 30 % of solid state circuit breaker weight is due to metallic casings; 25 % of motor weight is due to metallic end plates and casing. The use of CFRP for these functions in these components will bring weight reductions for the equipment of ~5 – 10 %.
My project will investigate the correlation between the level of Joule heating sustained by a component and the reduction in mechanical properties due to thermal degradation. A major element of the project is the use of NDT methods to assess the level of degradation, and correlate to the level of Joule heating sustained. First, this develops a more efficient route to assessing degradation. This is critical, as there are a wide set of variable parameters which may influence the response of CFRP to Joule heating. Second, this provides a platform for future in-service assessment of CFRP components which have conducted electrical current.

Key objectives include:
• Review types of CFRP used, characteristics of electrical loading, and mechanical thresholds of CFRP in aircraft with electrical propulsion (e.g., EVTOL).
• Design test matrix for electrical loading of CFRP to lead to different levels of degradation.
• Experimental capture of datasets for degradation of CFRP due to electrical loading.
• Assessment of level of degradation using non-destructive test methods, verified by mechanical testing.
• From degradation thresholds observed, propose design and manufacture modifications to keep degradation below failure thresholds (e.g. layup, electrical bonding, manufacturing method).

Primary Supervisor (University of Strathclyde): Dr. Ehsan Mohseni
Secondary Supervisor (University of Glasgow): Dr. Ahmed Zoha
Project External Partner: Spirit AeroSystems

My name is Leah Douglas. Originally from Northern Ireland, I started my academic journey in my local college, completing a Ulster University Foundation Degree in Mechatronic Engineering. I have recently completed a BEng Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Glasgow Caledonian University. At GCU, I specialised in Robotic and Mechatronic Engineering, and through the FUSE CDT programme I’m excited to expand my knowledge of Ultrasonic Engineering.

Pancreatic cancer is the tenth most common cancer in the UK, with an incidence that has increased by 30% increase over the last 40 years but persistently low 5-year survival of approximately 8% that has not improved over the same time period. Currently only around 10% of patients are suited to surgery. Earlier detection of disease could play a significant role in patient outcomes by increasing the number of patients whose cancer remains suited to surgical resection. Those patients whose tumour is not accessible or too advanced for surgery are reliant on chemotherapy or immune-therapy treatments. However, pancreatic ductal carcinoma is characterised by the evolution of a dense fibrotic stroma and collagen-rich extra-cellular matrix that can severely limit the penetration of drugs available to treat it. This has led to considerable interest in the development of therapeutics that can target this dense stroma to enable treatment. Improved methods of imaging stroma density and susceptibility to drug penetration are urgently required to better optimise and monitor treatments to improve patient outcomes.
We previously demonstrated how contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), where microbubbles can improve image quality and provide physiological information, are effective in the identification of metastasis. However, the contrast agent microbubbles commonly used are confined to the circulation, limiting their ability to highlight disease until the blood vessels supplying the tumour begin to be affected and unable to image tumour tissue itself. In my project I will investigate nanobubbles as a more suitable contrast agent for early stage cancer detection. They are small enough to escape the blood vessels and are naturally retained in tumour tissues. They have the potential to provide information on the penetration of different sized particles into the tumour stroma, but to realise the potential of this new area of ultrasound imaging novel imaging approaches are needed.
Although quantitative ultrasound imaging, particularly in the context of breast imaging, has been investigated since the 1970s, it is only in the last decade that developments in solid state electronics and array technology have facilitated sufficient sensitivity and specificity to compete with alternative medical imaging modalities. Contrary to MRI scans, ultrasound imaging can provide quantitative information (such as the spatial distribution of wave speed) and thus facilitate material characterisation of the heterogeneous structures under inspection. Furthermore, in the field of non-destructive evaluation (NDE), there has been a recent surge in using ultrasonic travel time tomography to map the anisotropic grain structures and orientations of polycrystalline metals. However, in both medical and NDE applications, the success of these methods is highly dependent on the extent of the inspection aperture and the availability of prior knowledge about the global structure and properties of the inspected object. To circumvent these challenges in the context of tumour characterisation, my project will examine the potential of using CEUS to construct quantitative images of cancerous tissues.

Primary Supervisor (University of Glasgow): Dr. Katherine Tant
Project External Partner: CRUK Scotland Institute

I am an undergraduate in Mechanical Engineering with a passion for exploring the depths of technology. My academic journey took me to the prestigious National Institute of Technology Trichy, where I pursued my Master’s degree in NOT (Non-Destructive Testing). During my time at NIT Trichy, I delved into the fascinating world of ultrasonics and signal processing, expanding my knowledge base. I also gained industrial research experience in the field by working as an Ultrasonic Engineer at Xyma Analytics. This role not only provided me with handson experience but also allowed me to delve into Finite Element Method (FEM), further enhancing my understanding of ultrasonics and signal processing.

Solid tumours are often highly desmoplastic, characterised by excessive stromal components, such as collagen, which act to stiffen cancer. The increased stiffness of tumours compared to surrounding normal tissues has been exploited for tumour detection, most likely for millennia, but it is now believed that the biomechanical properties of tumours can help us understand how a tumour may respond to treatment. There is evidence to show that stiffer tumours are more likely to spread and that they are more likely to have a poor blood supply leading to treatment resistance. Preclinical tumour models are required in cancer research to help understand the biological, physical, immunological and genetic mechanisms that drive cancer and influence its response to treatment. Researchers at the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), have been using ultrasound to measure the biomechanical properties of tumour models to help understand how they affect the efficacy of treatments. To link the biomechanical properties with the stromal components of the tumour microenvironment, these properties need to be measured with very fine spatial detail (ideally with spatial resolution of less than 100 microns). One of the principal factors that limits ultrasound spatial resolution is the ultrasound beam width.
My project involves working in collaboration with the ICR, to develop novel methods to produce highly focused high frequency ultrasound beams that can used to probe the tumour microenvironment. I will develop new transducer technology/hardware, and apply it to the measurement of tissue stiffness. There is opportunity to spend time in London performing measurements at the ICR.

Primary Supervisor (University of Glasgow): Prof. Sandy Cochran
Secondary Supervisor (University of Strathclyde): Prof. Gordon Dobie
Project External Partner: ICR

My name is Jason McKenna. I hold a BA (Hons) in Textile Design from Heriot Watt University and a MSc in Product Design from The University of Dundee.My interdisciplinary background, rooted in design, offers a unique perspective that I believe could bring fresh insights to engineering challenges. This blend of creative thinking and technical skills allows me to approach problems with an innovative mindset and explore unconventional solutions. In previous research projects I explored wearable technology with a primary focus on assisting blind athletes and the ageing population. These projects utilised sensor technologies including that of ultrasound to create innovative solutions tailored to their respective challenges.

Haptic technology has seen significant development in recent years, enabling technology to better stimulate our sense of touch. Ultrasound haptic devices are one example. These use arrays of transducers to focus ultrasound beams, controlling their dynamic properties to create localised pressures that stimulate skin in mid-air, thereby delivering haptic experiences for a range of applications, including public displays and mixed reality. However, we are reaching the limits of what can be achieved with our current understanding of ultrasonic transducers. The major goal of my project is to investigate how these transducer limitations can be overcome, to deliver more responsive and higher quality haptic feedback.
My project proposes a step change in how we implement ultrasound sensors in haptic devices. We tend to look at this problem by developing systems with algorithms to accommodate standard/conventional configurations of ultrasound sensor. However, we think this problem can be tackled the other way round, by optimising and engineering the dynamics of the sensor to integrate with algorithms, thus building an immersive haptic experience. One proposed route to achieving this is via advanced, adaptive materials such as shape memory alloys or metamaterials, enabling dynamic properties including resonance and beam shape to be controlled, presenting an exciting, as yet unexplored, opportunity.
My project will be supported by the School of Computing Science at the University of Glasgow, whom already have experience in engineering human-computer interfaces for ultrasound haptic technologies. Whilst significant progress has been made in human-computer interaction, optimised configurations of sensor constitute a clear opportunity to build on the capacity of existing systems. My project will therefore deliver the missing expertise in how ultrasonic sensors can be integrated into advanced communication technologies. Specifically, we do not yet fully understand the relationship between the physical characteristics of ultrasonic sensors, and their dynamic performance in a haptic environment. This research forms the bridge between ultrasound sensors, mathematical techniques, and the interface of human-computer interaction, whilst at the same time strengthening current industry relationships with Ultraleap, a leading global organisation in haptic technologies, and CeramTec UK, leaders in piezoelectric and active materials.
Haptic technologies have grown in popularity with advances in virtual reality and mobile phones, now able to accommodate basic remote sensing and activation. Recently, a consequence of COVID-19 has renewed the drive towards touchless technologies, in addition to those desired for inspection technologies in hazardous or hostile environments (for example radioactive or high temperature for humans). Haptics is postulated as a viable route for such capabilities. To achieve this, we need significantly greater understanding of how the characteristics of ultrasound waves in air can be engineered to deliver the required haptic experience.

Key objectives include:
• Methodically assess the limitations associated with the current range of ultrasound sensors used in haptic systems, through a combination of mathematical modelling and experimental analysis.
• Determine optimal sensor configurations to improve dynamic performance.
• Develop a strategy to fabricate a novel prototype sensor for ultrasound haptics, using metamaterials, advanced materials, or otherwise.
• Engineer an interface for a sensor, or sensor array, to be implemented in a suitable ultrasound haptic system for industrial trials

Primary Supervisor (University of Glasgow): Dr. Katherine Tant
Secondary Supervisor (University of Strathclyde): Dr. Andrew Reid
Project External Partners: CeramTec / Ultraleap

My name is Xanthe Miller. I graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 2022 with a Master of Physics degree, and in my final year became interested in ultrasonics whilst completing my MPhys project on characterising ultrasonic microbubble contrast agents for clinical and preclinical applications.

An ultrasound patch is an imaging device that can be attached semi-permanently to a patient for clinical monitoring without the immediate presence of a sonographer. Development of such devices is proceeding rapidly and early demonstrations have taken place but applications with a clinical rationale have still to be explored. One such application is in ultrasound guided radiotherapy (USGRT). Around 65,000 people per year receive radiotherapy for cancer in the UK and autonomous imaging is essential to target treatment accurately and spare normal tissue. Target position-verifying X-ray CT has poor contrast and the accuracy of irradiating cancer in some organs is limited by positional uncertainty (e.g. liver, uterocervix) and/or organ motion (e.g. pancreas, kidney). The combination of MRI and a radiation delivery system is possible but extremely costly, limiting its adoption. Similarly, USGRT of prostate cancer is possible by transperineal autonomous scanning once the probe is positioned. However, for other treatments, e.g. for uterocervix and liver, existing scanners have insufficient field of view and cannot easily be positioned to avoid disturbing the beam or target, treatment.

In my project I will first review ultrasound patch development specifically for USGRT then select appropriate solutions for the ultrasound device and system. Elements including the ultrasound technology, patch attachment, data transmission and information provision will be investigated in hardware and software and a demonstration system will be assembled for future translation into clinical practice. My project will involve partnership between the Institute of Cancer Research and the FUSE CDT with ICR involved in device/system specification and final demonstration.

Primary Supervisor (University of Glasgow): Prof. Sandy Cochran
Secondary Supervisor (University of Strathclyde): Dr. Richard O’Leary
Project External Partner: ICR

Hello! I’m Muhammed-Rashid, a new PhD student with Future Ultrasonic Engineering Centre for Doctoral Training (FUSE CDT). I completed my MSc in Biomedical Engineering at Dundee University with my project focusing on the development of brain and skull phantoms for Focused Ultrasound therapy and clinical training. The project exposed me to a different type of ultrasound, which could be used to ablate cells within the brain non-invasively or used to disrupt the blood brain barrier to facilitate drug delivery. With the project combining the use of 3D printing, ultrasound and phantom fabrication, it sparked an interest in ultrasound which led me to FUSE. However, as I have now learnt, ultrasound has a far wider range of applications than I had initially thought. From uses in medicine, robotics, non-destructive testing, material inspection…even being used for reducing the size of ice crystals in ice cream!

Bone fractures are a significant healthcare challenge for orthopaedic services in the UK. A 10-year study in England (2004-2014) showed 2.5 million fracture admissions with hip, radius, ankle and hand being the most prevalent fracture locations. The number of fragility fractures in the UK is estimated by the International Osteoporosis Foundation to grow by 26% between 2019 and 2034, amounting to 665,000 fragility fractures per year. Repair of standard fractures often relies on surgical reduction and fixation, with a wait of several months depending on the severity. For this reason, a growing market of bone stimulators has emerged. Worth an estimated $2.1 billion (10.1% CAGR), this market includes ultrasound and electrical stimulation devices aimed at improving bone growth in a variety of clinical scenarios, including post surgery.
In comparison, the use of acoustic stimulation, at kHz frequencies is relatively underexplored in terms of bone stimulation. Our research team has previously demonstrated that 1 kHz vibration, with an amplitude of 30 nm (dubbed ‘nanokicking’), is osteogenic when applied to in vitro cultures of mesenchymal stem cells, MSCs (bone forming cells). The process utilises cellular sensitivity to mechanical forces, exploiting it for phenotypic control. We recently applied this stimulation as a wearable device, similar to haptic technologies. No changes to bone morphology were seen in a rat model, although blood borne markers of bone formation were elevated (data unpublished). Part of the challenge involves selecting the correct in vivo model, but also ensuring delivery of the vibration through soft tissue and into the bone.
It has been long established that ultrasound in the form of LIPUS can generate similar therapeutic effects utilising a comparatively higher carrier frequency and a pulse repetition that replicates the 1 kHz vibration found to promote therapeutic benefit in nanokicking. Such devices are approved (by NICE in the UK and the FDA in the USA) to treat non-union fractures but are not optimised due to an absence of clear mechanistic understanding and in some cases flawed experimental procedures. Optimisation would expand patient benefit as well as the range of conditions that could be effectively treated with this non-invasive, outpatient technique, to include general fractures and osteoporosis as examples.
In my project, we propose to test an alternative method to deliver 1 kHz bone stimulation, utilising an ultrasound parametric array to generate a 1 kHz beat frequency over a controlled focal region. The hypothesis is that this will allow better penetration of the signal into the skeletal core over prior standard nanovibration devices, with a larger potential range of frequencies able to be applied. A beat frequency can be generated using two ultrasound transducers, each driven at slightly differing frequencies. The wave fronts generated become increasingly non-linear, whereby the quadratic dependence of sound speed on density leads to the generation of sum and difference fields, or a beat frequency equal to the difference between the two originally generated wave fronts. This parametric array will provide a new degree of control over the delivery of nanovibration to a targeted region of tissue permitting truly detailed characterisation of the therapeutic effects and the aim to more effectively deliver nanovibration to the target.

In my project I will focus on initial in vitro testing with osteogenic cells (MG-63s, MSCs), comparing application of a 1 kHz beat frequency to our existing bulk piezo actuator vibration devices. Testing will include 2D and 3D culture of cells. For 3D culture, a key assessment will be spatial resolution of cellular osteogenesis, e.g. assessed through immunofluorescent staining or histology of the constructs. I will then seek to develop a prototype wearable device, suitable for patient stimulation based on this data.

Primary Supervisor (University of Strathclyde): Dr. Peter Childs
Secondary Supervisor (University of Glasgow): Dr. Helen Mulvana
Project External Partners: NHSGGC / Acoustiic

Hello, my name’s Joe Purvis. I graduated in 1984 with a degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from Paisley Tech. I worked as an electronic design engineer for Burr-Brown & Compaq Computers before moving to Dallas in Texas, working for Texas Instruments as Applications Engineering manager in the high-precision Data Converter group while also completing an MSc in Electronics in 2001. Since 2010 I’ve managed my own independent consulting company, designing electronics for a variety of clients throughout the UK and Ireland and hold two patents.

My project will develop miniaturised ultrasonic sensing devices for vascular stents and stents/grafts. The goal is to produce a device that can continually monitor the state of the stent or stent/graft, detecting the implant’s patency and monitoring for possible stenosis, thrombosis, malposition or leak. Despite significant improvements in healthcare provision, cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the number one cause of death in the World. The economic burden to the European Union for cardiovascular disease is estimated at over 196 Billion EUR. The proposal attempts to build towards a smart stent or stent/graft device that can be deployed using existing surgical and catheterisation procedures, yet provides advanced technological abilities that are predicted to reduce patient morbidity and mortality. An implant which can interact and report on its own vessel status, such as when the vessel leaks, re-blocks or clots would be transformative. In my project we will investigate how placing a miniature ultrasonic transducer onto the stent/graft before it is deployed could help to monitor the health of the vessel and the stent/graft within it. Current research on smart stents includes using ultrasound (US) devices for monitoring blood flow velocity or the electrical properties of the device which change in response with the build-up of tissue around the implant. In addition, the proposed US sensor will allow the ultrasonic interrogation of the implant and vessel providing further diagnostic information. This opens up the possibility of endovascular leak detection, monitoring any positive vessel remodelling or the amount and composition of any material building up around the implant, stenosis or thrombosis, giving key clinical data informing on whether further intervention is necessary.

With an ultrasonic transducer integrated onto a cardiovascular implant we will be able to continually measure one or both of two physical properties of the vessel; first the blood flow rate as a Doppler shift flow meter and second the physical anatomy of the vessel, giving the percentage and composition of the occlusion of the vessel using the ultrasonic waves as an imaging method similar to interventional intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) modalities, other possibilities include placing Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) devices within the implant which could detect material building up in their vicinity. A miniaturised sensing device could be placed inside the stent or stent/graft as similar smart devices are proposed to be deployed or with the ultrasound passing through the vessel/device wall easily it could be placed outside the vessel or between the layers of a multi-lumen graft; positioning that has also been proposed for other smart vascular sensors.

Primary Supervisor (University of Glasgow): Prof. Steven Neale
Secondary Supervisor (University of Strathclyde): Prof. James Windmill
Project External Partner: NHSGGC

After obtaining my Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering in 2015, I embarked on a Master of Science program in Digital Electronic Systems at the University of Guilan. My academic pursuits during this period were primarily focused on developing a Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) system that leveraged Deep Learning techniques to accurately characterize undersurface defects. Throughout the course of my studies, I was exposed to a wide range of industrial NDE methods, including Eddy Current and Ultrasound techniques, and gained a comprehensive understanding of machine learning approaches. Upon completing my studies in 2019, I gained practical experience in the field of Automation Engineering through my work as an electrical and automation engineer. As a result, I have developed a solid knowledge base in Automation, as well as a keen interest in the field.

To achieve carbon-neutral status by 2050, the aerospace sector is strongly driven to develop lightweight aerostructures using novel materials and manufacturing techniques. These include metal Additive Manufacturing technologies for pylons and landing gears, Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer structures for wing covers and spoilers, and mixed-mode materials for fuselages. As safety is paramount in the aviation industry, it is a regulatory requirement to assure the quality of safety-critical components. However, the cost of Non-Destructive Testing and Evaluation (NDT&E) for such components can be significant, often accounting for a third of the total manufacturing costs. In-service inspection is also a cost and time burden for airlines.

As a result, there is a strong industry pull for automated inspection technologies. However, automated NTD&E of novel aero structures attracts a range of challenges, from sensor deployment to defect detection and characterisation. Therefore, in collaboration with a major aerospace company my project aims to investigate and address these challenges, unlocking novel technologies to achieve Net Zero targets.

Primary Supervisor (University of Strathclyde): Dr. Randika Vithanage
Secondary Supervisor (University of Glasgow): Dr. Koko Lam
Project External Partner: Spirit AeroSystems

Hi! I’m Sam and my background is as an integrated master’s student in physics at Hull. However, I have spent the last two years working for a laser company as an Applications Engineer. A job I thoroughly enjoyed but didn’t allow me to fully make use of my degree. Joining FUSE CDT is allowing me to use the skills I learnt back then to their fullest.

Underwater sonar is the most important imaging technique for use underwater, finding applications in marine surveying, ocean monitoring, shipping navigation, and the defence and fishing industries, amongst others. The vast majority of sonar systems rely on transducers made with piezoelectric materials to generate and detect ultrasound signals to interrogate and gain knowledge of the marine environment. Innovation in ultrasonic transducer materials and structures has underpinned many of the performance improvements that have been achieved in the past 100 years.Examples in materials include: piezoceramics in the 1950s; piezocomposites in the 1990s; piezocrystals from 2000; a long-running effort in lead-free piezoelectrics; and rapid contemporary research and development in textured ceramics. However, the potential for innovation is often seen as in tension with established use of existing transducers, partly because of the long lifetime of such devices, and it therefore usually takes decades for the potential to be realised.

Sponsored by Thales UK, this PhD project, which will suit an engineer, physicist or material scientist, will study how such innovation can be characterised, understood and codified, with a particular aim to shorten the time to realise the potential of innovative materials and structures. It will do this through active exploration of incorporation of lead-free piezoelectrics and textured ceramics into representative transducers. This will exploit new material characterisation techniques and virtual prototyping across a range of software platforms implementing finite element analysis and simpler tools. The results will be documented technically and with regard to the procedures developed, including interaction with sonar transducer designers with different skill levels.

Primary Supervisor (University of Glasgow): Prof. Sandy Cochran
Secondary Supervisor (University of Strathclyde): Dr. Richard O’Leary
Project External Partner: Thales