Chris Daft

Summary

Award-winning, Oxford-educated scientist whose areas of expertise include imaging, electronics, semiconductors, MEMS, medical engineering, sensors, signal processing, and image processing. Experience in industries/applications including medical devices, imaging, consumer electronics, biometric security, and electrical power delivery. Extensive Intellectual Property experience including patent development, analysis, licensing, and strategy. Serial inventor holding 25 U.S. Patents. Diverse industry experience includes multinationals such as GE, Medtronic, Fujifilm, Samsung, Siemens, and many start-ups. Well-published in peer-reviewed scientific journals. Winner of grants from National Institute of Health (NIH) and DARPA. Extensive international consulting experience. Three years at the University of Illinois teaching electrical and computer engineering. IEEE Senior Member since 2004.

Education

• D. Phil. (equal to Ph.D.) in Materials Science, Oxford University, UK, 1987. Thesis title: Acoustic microscopy of biological tissue.
• M.A. in Physics, Oxford University, UK, 1985.
• B.A. in Physics with 1st class honors, Oxford University, UK, 1984.

Highlights of Recent Work

• Deposition and trial testimony experience in patent litigation (PTAB and ITC), product liability and medical malpractice matters.
• Deposition and trial testimony experience in the Superior Court of California, and US District Courts.
• Advising start-ups on patent strategy, product positioning and business strategy.
• System design for a wearable cancer monitoring device.
• Portable point-of-care imaging (research supported by a grant to River Sonic Solutions from the National Institutes of Health).
• Design of beam formation and image reconstruction techniques for transcranial imaging and treatment (with the University of Arizona).
• Acoustics and transducer design for medical and industrial applications.
• Design of MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical systems) transducers, signal processing and front-end electronics for pediatric otitis diagnosis.

Honors and Awards

• Senior Key Expert, Siemens AG, February 2009: Siemens defines the Key Expert position as "a career path for key technology experts analogous to that for our top managerial talents."
• Willis R. Whitney Technical Achievement Award, GE Global Research, August 2000: For participating in the development of a Six-Sigma software toolkit, which was widely deployed within GE.
• Six-Sigma Certified Green Belt, GE Global Research, April 1998: A certified Green Belt at GE has taken classes and completed several projects resulting in cost savings for the company. In my case these involved Design for Six-Sigma (DFSS).
• Dushman Award, GE Global Research, June 1994: Highest-ranking team award for contributions to the introduction of GE's first premium ultrasound product, the LOGIQ 700.

Volunteer Work

• Member of the Board of Directors, IEEE-CNSV (Consultants' Network of Silicon Valley), 2017-2019. IEEE-CNSV is the Silicon Valley chapter of the IEEE-USA Consultants' Network. It brings together consultants, clients and other interested parties to exchange ideas about electrical, electronic and software engineering. Served as the Secretary of this organization for two years.
• Project Manager, Keizai Silicon Valley, May 2013-present. KSV is a non-profit business and professional networking organization. It provides a venue for showcasing specialists with expertise on issues critical to the success of entrepreneurs and companies doing business with Japan and the U.S.
• Member of Technical Program Committee, IEEE International Ultrasonics Symposium. This committee is responsible for the technical content of the IEEE International Ultrasonics Symposium.

Issued Patents and Published Applications

1. Receive-side beam forming for an ultrasonic image sensor: United States Patent 10,067,229
2. Ultrasonic device and operation method therefor: United States Published Application US2018185011
3. Piezoelectric transducer device for configuring a sequence of operational modes: United States Patent 10,022,751
4. Redistribution layer in an ultrasound diagnostic imaging transducer: United States Patent 9,274,088
5. Switch for aperture control in medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging: United States Patent 8,795,182
6. Volume mechanical transducer for medical diagnostic ultrasound: United States Patent 8,647,279
7. Aperture synthesis using cMUTs: United States Patent 8,641,628
8. Multi-dimensional CMUT array with integrated beam formation: United States Patent 8,465,431
9. Piezoelectric and CMUT layered ultrasound transducer array: United States Patent 8,277,380
10. Ultrasound imaging transducer array for synthetic aperture: United States Patent 7,963,919
11. Apparatus for two-dimensional transducers used in three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging: United States Patent 7,824,338
12. Method and apparatus for improving the performance of capacitive acoustic transducers using bias polarity control and multiple firings: United States Patent 7,780,597
13. Apparatus for two-dimensional transducer used in three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging: United States Patents 7,719,166 & 7,679,263
14. Electric circuit for tuning a capacitive electrostatic transducer: United States Patent 7,670,290
15. Microfabricated ultrasonic transducer array for 3-D imaging and method of operating the same: United States Patent 7,618,373
16. Apparatus for two-dimensional transducers used in three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging: United States Patent 7,508,113
17. Microfabricated ultrasonic transducers with bias polarity beam profile control and method of operating the same: United States Patent 7,087,023
18. System and method for statistical design of ultrasound probe and imaging system: United States Patent 7,006,955
19. Method and system for conducting medical imaging transactions: United States Patent 6,931,270
20. Ultrasound imaging system having post-beamformer signal processing using deconvolution algorithm: United States Patent 6,245,016
21. Ultrasound imaging system with dynamic window function generator: United States Patent 5,817,023
22. Focused ultrasound surgery system guided by ultrasound imaging: United States Patent 5,769,790
23. Method for adaptively filtering doppler signals using a complex time domain filter: United States Patent 5,445,156
24. Color flow imaging system utilizing a time domain adaptive wall filter: United States Patent 5,349,524
25. Ultrasound imaging system with dynamic window function: United States Patent 5,345,939

Academic Publications

Invited Papers

1. Daft, C.M.W., "Conformable transducers for large-volume, operator-independent imaging," Ultrasonics Symposium, 2010 IEEE, pp. 798-808, 11-14 Oct. 2010
2. Daft, C.; Wagner, P.; Bymaster, B.; Panda, S.; Patel, K.; Ladabaum, 1., "cMUTs and electronics for 2D and 3D imaging: monolithic integration, in-handle chip sets and system implications," Ultrasonics Symposium, 2005 IEEE, vol. 1, pp.463-474, 18-21 Sept. 2005
3. Daft, C.M.W., "Neural networks for image analysis," Ultrasonics Symposium, 1990. Proceedings., IEEE 1990, pp.1425-1433 vol.3, 4-7 Dec 1990

Other Papers

1. Reznik, S.; Sanguinetti, J.; Tyler, W.; Daft, C.; Allen, J., "A Double-Blind Pilot Study of Transcranial Ultrasound (TUS) as a Five-Day Intervention: TUS Mitigates Worry among Depressed Participants," Neurology, Psychiatry and Brain Research 37C, 60-66 (2020)
2. Sanguinetti, J.; Hameroff, S.; Smith, E.; Sato, T.; Daft, C.; Tyler, W.; Allen, J., "Transcranial Focused Ultrasound to the Right Prefrontal Cortex Improves Mood and Alters Functional Connectivity in Humans," Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, vol. 14, 52 (2020)
3. Nistorica, C.; Latev, D.; Gardner, D.; Imai, D. and Daft, C., "Characterization of a 3D-MEMS piezoelectric transducer for portable imaging systems," 2015 IEEE International Ultrasonics Symposium (IUS), Taipei, 2015, pp. 1-4
4. Daft, C.; Brueske, D.; Wagner, P.; Liu, D., "A Matrix Transducer Design with Improved Image Quality and Acquisition Rate," Ultrasonics Symposium, 2007 IEEE, pp.411-415, 28-31 Oct. 2007
5. Daft, C.; Panda, S.; Wagner, P.; Ladabaum, I., "Two Approaches to Electronically Scanned 3D Imaging Using cMUTs," Ultrasonics Symposium, 2006. IEEE, pp. 685-688, 2-6 Oct. 2006
6. Liu, D.; Brueske, D.; Willsie, T.; Daft, C., "Sigma-delta dynamic receive beamforming," Ultrasonics Symposium, 2008. IUS 2008. IEEE, pp. 1270-1273, 2-5 Nov. 2008
7. Daft, C.; Wagner, P.; Bymaster, B.; Panda, S.; Patel, K.; Ladabaum, I., "cMUTs and electronics for 2D and 3D imaging: monolithic integration, in-handle chip sets and system implications," Ultrasonics Symposium, 2005 IEEE, vol.1, no., pp. 463-474, 18-21 Sept. 2005
8. Daft, C.; Calmes, S.; da Graca, D.; Patel, K.; Wagner, P.; Ladabaum, I., "Microfabricated ultrasonic transducers monolithically integrated with high voltage electronics," Ultrasonics Symposium, 2004 IEEE, vol.1, no., pp.493-496 Vol.1, 23-27 Aug. 2004
9. Daft, C.; Wagner, P.; Panda, S.; Ladabaum, I., "Elevation beam profile control with bias polarity patterns applied to microfabricated ultrasound transducers," Ultrasonics, 2003 IEEE Symposium on, vol.2, no., pp.1578-1581 Vol.2, 5-8 Oct. 2003
10. Daft, C.M.W.; Leue, W.M.; Thomenius, K.E.; Macdonald, M.C.; Odegaard, L.A., "Comprehensive imager simulation for improved acoustic power control," Ultrasonics Symposium, 1999. Proceedings. 1999 IEEE, vol.2, no., pp.1571-1575 vol.2, 1999
11. Wildes, D.G.; Chiao, R.Y.; Daft, C.M.W.; Rigby, K.W.; Smith, L.S.; Thomenius, K.E., "Elevation performance of 1.25D and 1.5D transducer arrays," Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and Frequency Control, IEEE Transactions on, vol.44, no.5, p.1027-1037, Sept. 1997
12. Daft, C.M.W.; Engeler, W.E., "Windowing of wide-band ultrasound transducers," Ultrasonics Symposium, 1996. Proceedings.) 1996 IEEE, vol.2, no., pp.1541-1544 vol.2, 3-6 Nov 1996
13. Daft, C.M.W.; Wildes, D.G.; Thomas, L.J.; Smith, L.S.; Lewandowski, R.S.; Leue, W.M.; Rigby, K.W.; Chalek, C.L.; Hatfield, W.T., "A 1.5D transducer for medical ultrasound," Ultrasonics Symposium, 1994. Proceedings., 1994 IEEE, vol.3, no., op.1491-1495 vol.3, Oct. 31 1994-Nov. 3 1994
14. Daft, C.M.W.; Siddiqi, T.A.; Fitting, D.W.; Meyer, R.A.; O'Brien, W.D., Jr., "In-vivo fetal ultrasound exposimetry," Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and Frequency Control, IEEE Transactions on, vol.37, no.6, pp.501-505, Nov. 1990
15. Daft, C.M.W.; Smith, L.S.; O'Donnell, M., "Beam profiles and images from two-dimensional arrays," Ultrasonics Symposium, 1990. Proceedings., IEEE 1990, pp.775-779 vol.2, 4-7 Dec 1990
16. Conrath, B.C.; Daft, C.M.W.; O'Brien, W.D., Jr., "Applications of neural networks to ultrasound tomography," Ultrasonics Symposium, 1989. Proceedings., IEEE 1989, pp.1007-1010 vol.2, 3-6 Oct 1989
17. Daft, C.M.W.; Siddiqi, T.A.; Fitting, D.W.; Meyer, R.A.; O'Brien, W.D., Jr., "In-vivo fetal ultrasound exposimetry," Ultrasonics Symposium, 1989. Proceedings., IEEE 1989, pp. 1053-1056 vol.2, 3-6 Oct 1989
18. Weaver, J.M.R.; Daft, C.M.W.; Briggs, G.A.D., "A quantitative acoustic microscope with multiple detection modes," Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and Frequency Control, IEEE Transactions on, vol.36, no.5, pp.554-560, Sept. 1989
19. Daft, C.M.W.; Briggs, G.A.D., "Wideband acoustic microscopy of tissue," Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and Frequency Control, IEEE Transactions on, vol.36, no.2, pp.