Conventional ultrasound imaging relies on the computation of geometric time
delay from multiple sensors to detect the position of a scatterer. In this
paper, we present Ergodic Relay Ultrasound Imaging (ERUI), a method that
utilizes an ergodic cavity down to a single ultrasonic sensor for ultrasound
imaging. With the proposed method, the ergodic cavity creates a unique temporal
signature that encodes the position of a scatterer. When compared to standard
approaches, ERUI enables the generation of images of comparable quality while
utilizing fewer detector elements. Our results suggest that ERUI has the
potential to achieve image resolution similar to that of traditional imaging
techniques, shifting the complexity from hardware to sofware. The demonstrated
feasibility offers a promising path towards ultrasound probes with reduced
costs and complexity for more portable scanning devices.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, Lette