ABSTRACT We present a long‐lasting, multilayered tissue mimicking phantom model that mimics the optical and acoustic properties of the skin and radial artery at the wrist. The silicone‐based phantom is fabricated with tunable properties by varying concentrations of India ink, titanium dioxide, and silicone oil. To assess the longevity of the phantom material, the mechanical, optical, and acoustic properties of the individual layers are characterized over multiple weeks. Comparisons of characterization measurements to physiological reference values demonstrate that the phantom material closely approximates the mechanical properties, while optical properties are also comparable, especially from 700 to 1100 nm. Acoustic properties are less optimally matched, with higher attenuation and lower acoustic velocities than biological tissue. The phantom material exhibits optical and acoustic stability during characterization of the properties over time. A cost analysis of the fabrication technique demonstrates that this is a low‐cost and easily accessible phantom model, which could be implemented at any laboratory. This phantom serves as a validation tool for new optical and acoustic sensors in the first stages of translational research and prototype development. We present a verification of the stability of silicone‐based phantom materials over time, thus enabling long‐term optical and acoustic measurements.
Boštogaitė et al. (Fri,) studied this question.