Source Localization for Electrohydraulic Shockwave Devices

Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) uses high-energy, short-duration acoustic waves to stimulate tissue repair. These waves can be generated in electrohydraulic (EH) devices by a high-voltage discharge across a two-electrode spark-gap. Despite the fixed position of the electrodes, the origin of the shockwave can vary slightly, and the impact of this variability on resulting shockwaves and treatments remains unknown.

This paper proposes a workflow to optimize the placement of 4 independent hydrophones for the source multilateration using an evolution strategy. The results of the evolution strategy yield a best configuration deviating from the origin by only 0.0152 mm while meeting the experimental constraints. The most effective solution will be the basis for the design of a 3D print sensor holder, supporting further investigation into the EH origin position and resulting shockwaves. Further research will focus on adjusting the evolution strategy to account for all constraints and enhance its robustness.