Open-Source FPGA Coprocessor for the Doppler Emulation of Moving Fluids

Abstract

Embedded systems are nowadays employed in a wide range of application, and their capability to implement calculation-intensive algorithms is growing quickly and constantly. This result is obtained by the exploitation of powerful embedded processors that are often connected to coprocessors optimized for a particular application. This work presents an open-source coprocessor dedicated to the real-time generation of a synthetic signal that mimics the echoes produced by a moving fluid when investigated by ultrasounds. The coprocessor is implemented in a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) device and integrated in an embedded system. The system can replace the complex and inaccurate flow-rigs employed in laboratorial tests of Doppler ultrasound systems and methods. This paper details the coprocessor and its standard interfaces, and shows how it can be integrated in the wider architecture of an embedded system. Experiments showed its capability to emulate a fluid flowing in a pipe when investigated by an echographic Doppler system.