PPM-MarkVI prototyping

[Willy Bayot]

Hi all,

We are now preparing for the PPM version Mark VI. We hope that to be the last of a long series of constantly improved PPM systems.

It will be a single board system with the same shape as the two boards of all the previous Markxx systems but the front-end circuits are completely stuffed in one half of the board and the controller circuits completely stuffed on the second half of the board. It means that we can either use the board as is in a NEMA box or cut it in two halves and piled one on top of the other to be inserted in a fish for underwater surveys.
This will be the board of the MkVI system. It has a powerful STM32F405 processor(ARM 168 MHz, 210 DMIPS, DSP instructions, 12-bit ADC), a micro SD Card socket (upper right corner) and a lithium battery back-up for the RTC (lower right corner).
The faster processor with its DSP instructions and its 12-bit ADC will allow us to still improve the precision and the noise insensibility of the readings.
The MarkVI will also be equipped with a shorter sensor with coils wound with alu wire which will make it three times lighter to carry and an improved S/R.

Willy

[Willy Bayot]

new production of MarkIVb

Hi,

While we are working on the prototyping of MarkVI system, we have decided to replenish our stock of MarkIVb boards. So, we have started the manufacturing of a new series of MarkIVb systems.

Willy

[Willy Bayot]

PPM User interfacing through Android-based device

Hi all,

This MarkVI version will be equipped with a user interface built in any Android-based smartphone or tablet and obviously connected to the PPM through WiFi.

At first, it will only be able to control a real-time survey session while plotting the Field Gradients and controlling the pause/resume, Start/End survey commands but it should end-up to fully implement the whole PPM operations like parameter seting and reviewing previously captured grid files.

This is a sample of a preliminary version of the interface run on a smartphone.

Willy

[Willy Bayot]

PPM User interfacing through Android-based device

Note that this user interface with WiFi link will also be made available on MarkIVb systems.
Willy

[Auftragssucher]

...but it should end-up to fully implement the whole PPM operations like parameter seting and reviewing previously captured grid files....

Hi Willy,
great! EXACTLY THIS is the future!
Greetings from germany
Andy

[signman]

hmmm...

I had this idea however, I thought the phone would interfere with the mag. What am I missing?

[Willy Bayot]

It is not impossible that the phone would disturb the mag but this is part of the experiments.
However, I do not think this has a high probability since the involved frequencies are so far away.
According to our previous experience, the WiFi module we must integrate in the box could possibly disturb the power lines but we have found a solution to this by inserting a low frequency filter in its voltage regulation circuit as we did for the GPS chip and the GUI module.

Willy