Open-LIFU Hardware Development¶
Overview¶
All hardware developed using Openwater's base platform is released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 (CC BY-SA 4.0). The hardware is separated into 1× and 2× transmit-module configuration CAD assemblies. Part numbers are provided in the tables below.
CAD files¶
Released design files for Open-LIFU live in two repositories:
- Mechanical:
OpenLIFU-Mechanical - Electrical:
openlifu-electrical
Mechanical¶
The mechanical repository provides:
- 3D mechanical parts and assembly models for Open-LIFU devices, including transducers and housings
- Useful when you need physical dimensions, mechanical constraints, or to integrate Open-LIFU with custom enclosures
- Best fit for: mechanical CAD work and physical integration requirements
Open-LIFU mechanical design files¶
| Part name | Part number |
|---|---|
| LIFU Console with power cable and USB cable | 700-00012 |
| 1× Transducer Housing | 700-00018 |
| 2× Transducer Housing | 700-00021 |
| LIFU Transducer Strap | 700-00022 |
| Transmit Module (155 kHz) | 700-00039 |
| Transmit Module (400 kHz) | 700-00040 |
Electrical¶
The electrical repository contains:
- PCB designs for the Open-LIFU platform (Console, Transmit modules, etc.)
- Board-level schematics and layout sources for building or modifying hardware
- Best fit for: actual electronics hardware build files
Open-LIFU PCBs¶
| Part | Board design | Schematic |
|---|---|---|
| Console Board | 710-00025 |
720-00011 |
| Transmit Board | 710-00015 |
720-00001 |
Building your own hardware¶
If you intend to fabricate Open-LIFU hardware:
- Use the released revision of each board file from the electrical repository.
- Source the BOM components per the released BOM (component substitutions may affect acoustic, thermal, or RF performance).
- Follow the assembly instructions in the mechanical repository for housing, strap, and cable routing.
- Perform the verification tests described in Best Practices → Verification & Validation before any operational use.
Recharacterization required for any modification
All Open-LIFU transducers and transmit modules are factory calibrated. Reconfiguring or modifying any transducer immediately voids the factory calibration and shifts all liability for safety, integrity, and performance to the modifier. Recharacterize against application-specific requirements before use. See the investigational-device disclaimer for full terms.
Custom transmit-module configurations
The architecture supports more transmit modules or modules arranged differently than the standard 1× / 2× configurations, and these are generally supported by the software. The customization of Open-LIFU hardware itself is beyond the scope of this document — reach out on Discord if you are pursuing a non-standard build.