Affordable and customizable high-resolution scanning system for measurement of acoustic fields

Abstract

Spatial scans of acoustic fields are often required to characterize acoustic system behavior. Automated positioning systems allow for higher spatial resolution, more efficient use of time, and increased repeatability and precision during data collection than is possible manually. Unfortunately, commercial systems can be expensive, difficult to customize after purchase, and can be very cumbersome to manipulate. The present work describes an affordable and customizable scanning system that can be operated through MATLAB using an Arduino microcontroller and constructed with OpenBuilds hardware. We will outline the integration of an oscilloscope and function generator with the motion control system to enable a completely automated measurement system. Further, we will discuss potential pitfalls one may encounter when creating a similar system and highlight best practices that allow you to avoid those problems at the system design stage. This work will discuss similar systems created to characterize underwater acoustic metamaterials (doi:10.1121/10.0009161), quantify performance of an additively manufactured acoustic diffuser (doi:10.1121/1.5147148), define pressure field responses due to inclusion of an acoustic metasurface used for acoustic holography (doi:10.26153/tsw/13999), and analyze acoustic properties of cylindrical sediment samples containing infauna (doi:10.1121/2.0000744). [Work sponsored by ARLUT, ONR, Sandia, and Samsung.]