Scanning Prism Magnetometry for Perpendicular Current Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional biomagnetic techniques are limited in measuring electric currents flowing perpendicular to the surface of conductive media, such as the brain or heart, as they only detect components parallel to the surface, providing incomplete information about the total current produced by biological generators of electric currents.
Innovation Solution
The use of a scanning magnetometer with a primary source mirror (PRISM) that transforms a homogeneous conductive medium into a non-homogeneous medium, allowing for the measurement of magnetic fields from electric currents flowing perpendicular to the surface by inducing secondary sources on the PRISM, which can be scanned over the surface to record magnetic fields with high spatial resolution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional biomagnetic techniques are used to measure electric currents, then the measurement can be performed, but the measurement is incomplete as it only detects current components parallel to the surface and cannot detect currents flowing perpendicular to the surface
Solution Approach 1:
A non-conductive prism is introduced as an intermediary object within the conductive medium. The prism interacts with the electric currents to induce secondary sources that generate magnetic fields detectable by the magnetometer, enabling measurement of current components that would otherwise be undetectable
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical configuration of the measurement system by introducing a prism with specific geometric parameters (orientation, position, shape) to transform the homogeneous conductive medium into a system with controlled non-homogeneity, enabling detection of previously undetectable current components
2Measurement precision
If the detector is placed close to the electric current to maximize signal strength, then the signal-to-noise ratio is improved, but the spatial resolution is limited by the detector size and positioning constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The measurement system is segmented into distinct functional components: the prism (which interacts with currents), the conductive medium (which supports current flow), and the magnetometer (which detects magnetic fields). This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently for its specific function
Solution Approach 2:
The invention adds a new dimensional aspect to the measurement by using the prism's geometric orientation and position within the conductive medium to encode spatial information about current distribution, enabling ultra-high spatial resolution through scanning movements in multiple dimensions
3Ease of manufacture
If a homogeneous conductive medium is used, then the measurement setup is simple, but currents flowing perpendicular to the surface produce no detectable magnetic field
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of making the entire medium non-homogeneous, the invention introduces localized non-homogeneity only where needed (at the position of the prism) to enable detection of perpendicular currents, while maintaining simplicity elsewhere in the measurement setup
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables the determination of the spatial distribution of electric currents with ultra-high spatial resolution, at least one order of magnitude greater than conventional methods, allowing for a more complete assessment of all components of electric currents flowing within biological and non-biological samples.
Implementation Method 1
a primary source mirror (PRISM) that transforms a homogeneous conductive medium into a non-homogeneous medium, allowing for the measurement of magnetic fields from electric currents flowing perpendicular to the surface by inducing secondary sources on the PRISM
Implementation Method 2
High-resolution scanning prism magnetometry... the apparatus and methods for making such measurements, and the measurement of the location, magnitude, and direction of those electric currents by means of the magnetic field measurements
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus and methods which employ a primary source mirror to scan a conductive sample containing an electric current to determine the distribution of currents in the sample, providing location, total magnitude, and direction in three dimensions of each component of the electric current distribution, by means of measuring the magnetic field external to the sample.