Air-Coupled Ultrasound Systems for Biomedical Applications: Advances in Sensors, Electronic Interfaces and Signal Processing Strategies

Abstract

Air-coupled ultrasound (ACU) is emerging as a fully non-contact sensing modality in biomedical applications. ACU applications can be broadly classified into two main domains: (i) contactless monitoring of physiological parameters and (ii) assistive aids, robotic perception in unstructured real-world environments, enabling tracking and geometric reconstruction. Advances in electronic materials and sensors design have enhanced ultrasonic sensors characteristics (e.g. bandwidth, directivity, and intensity). In parallel, progress in front-end electronics and signal processing, including artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted analysis, has enhanced ACU performance under low signal-to-noise (SNR) conditions. This review focuses on low-frequency ACU systems, with emphasis on sensor technologies, electronic interfaces, and system architectures that enable non-contact biomedical and robotic applications.