Sonus Microsystems Collaborates with UBC to Develop Advanced Ultrasound Technology for Advanced Industrial Applications Supported by Innovate BC

VANCOUVER, BC - Sonus Microsystems is collaborating with Drs. Robert Rohling, Edmond Cretu and their research teams at The University of British Columbia to develop advanced ultrasound sensors based on Sonus’s proprietary polymer-based CMUT (polyCMUT) technology. The project is supported by a new IGNITE grant from Innovate BC.

“Our polyCMUT technology offers distinct advantages, including high sensitivity, flexible form factors, and scalable manufacturing, that open the door to applications far beyond healthcare,” said Hani Eskandari, CEO of Sonus Microsystems. “This collaboration accelerates our work in industrial sensing, enabling practical solutions in sectors ranging from aerospace to infrastructure safety.”

The research focuses on designing compact, high-performance sensors for acoustic emission testing, a critical tool in non-destructive testing (NDT) used to assess the integrity of structures like wind turbines, pipelines, and pressure vessels, without interrupting operations.

“Imagine a low-profile, stick-on sensor that wirelessly transmits structural health data in real time, with no shutdowns and no manual inspections,” said Dr. Robert Rohling. “This is the future of NDT we’re building together.”

Acoustic emission testing detects micro-vibrations caused by material stress or crack formation, often beyond the range of human hearing. These subtle signals provide early warning of structural issues before they become catastrophic. While traditional sensors rely on piezoelectric crystals, which is a technology developed in the 1950s, Sonus and UBC aim to reinvent the sensor architecture using polyCMUTs to dramatically expand detection capabilities and deployment scenarios.

Sonus Array Transducers (SAT), powered by the polyCMUT platform, deliver broader bandwidth, higher sensitivity, and better scalability than legacy ultrasound systems. This collaboration marks a strategic expansion of SAT technology into industrial environments, where flexibility, reliability, and cost-efficiency are critical.