Tech Byte

TI Introduces 2 Integrated Analog Front Ends for Handheld Ultrasound

New 8-channel and 16-channel devices are 70% smaller and consumes 40% less power

Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) recently introduced two new integrated Analog Front Ends (AFEs) for handheld ultrasound systems. The newest members of TI's AFE family for medical ultrasound, the industry-first 16-channel AFE5851 and the 8-channel AFE5801, bring breakthrough power efficiency and smaller footprint to support the new market for handheld ultrasound systems that can fit in a doctor's pocket.

"We expect a broad range of new applications to emerge as ultrasound systems become handheld. Imagine how many more people could receive fast, effective medical diagnosis and treatment if every doctor could carry an ultrasound device in the pocket," said Poornima Mohanachandran, Director, Medical Business Unit, Texas Instruments India. Portable ultrasound manufacturers choose the AFE58xx family for its high integration and power and noise optimiaation. With the new AFE5851 and AFE5801, TI is enabling high image quality with even lower power consumption to address this new market for small, handheld systems, she added.

The new AFE5851 features 39 mW/channel at 32.5 MSPS and integrates 16 Variable Gain Amplifiers (VGAs) and eight 12-bit, 65-MSPS Analog to Digital Converters (ADCs). The ADC is shared between two VGAs and each VGA differential output is sampled at alternate clock cycles to optimise power efficiency. The ADC has scalable power consumption to further lower power use with lower sampling rates. The AFE5851's high channel count and low-power features allow for increased channel density in handheld ultrasound systems.

The second new device, the AFE5801, features 50 mW/channel at 30 MSPS and 58 mW/channel at 50 MSPS and integrates eight VGAs and eight 12-bit, 65 MSPS high-speed ADCs with LVDS data outputs. Both the AFE5851 and AFE5801 can be preceded by a transformer or an off-chip low-noise amplifier, which can be located on the probe. This new architecture results in at least 40 per cent power savings when compared to other devices currently available on the market. Available in a 9 mm x 9 mm package, the two new AFE58xx devices are the smallest analog front ends currently available in the market with a 70 per cent smaller footprint than competitive analog front ends for ultrasound systems and 40 per cent smaller than previously introduced devices in the AFE58xx family.

TI's AFE58xx family, introduced in March 2008, allows the design of innovative, affordable ultrasound systems with smallest size, superior image quality and reduced power consumption across all ultrasound market segments. The AFE5805 serves the portable to mid-range ultrasound market. The AFE5804 is pin-to-pin compatible to ease migration to an even lower power solution, should a design require it.

In addition to the AFE58xx family, TI offers a full portfolio of integrated circuits for ultrasound systems and other medical imaging equipment, including high-performance Digital Signal Processors (DSPs), digital media processors based on DaVinci technology, OMAP application processors, high-speed data converters and amplifiers, power management, clocks and interface devices, as well as wireless connectivity solutions.

EH News Bureau