Designing and marketing new metal detectors.

[Tinkerer]

Low metallic content mines are generally plastic explosives with few metal parts inside.
Those are most difficult mines for a metal detector to find, especially in soil.
And fact is that most of modern mines are such kind.
Therefore we will have indeed hard task here!
Small metallic parts that are in mine are most probably made from titanium alloys.
My dear friend WM6 recently sent me one small screw made from such alloy via mail.
Objective was to test Deus on such item.
I was more than surprised that Deus even detect it!
90% of other detectors i know were not able to detect it at all or only when "wiped" of coil surface.
So i already am aware of how hard task it is; to make such "mine detector" that will be really useful.
Yet it is worth of try. And i have good will to learn more on this subject.

Friends from Australia and USA have sent me several samples of titanium alloys. I use these samples now, instead of pure gold, to test the metal detectors.
Real gold nuggets are much more difficult to detect than man made gold objects. Titanium is much more difficult to detect than copper or aluminium. This is why I use it as test material.

Tinkerer

[ivconic]

"..My dear friend WM6 recently sent me one small screw made from such alloy via mail.
Objective was to test Deus on such item...."

So i did it, by now only air tests.
Soon i will perform soil tests too.
Deus is reference for me up from recently.
So it gave these results:

1- Basic 1 = 11cm
2- GMP (Gold Max Power emulator) = 14cm
3- Deus Fast = 10cm
4- 4-Pitch = 4cm
5- GMaXX (GmaXX emulator) = 13cm
6- Relic = 14 cm (slower movements - the better)
7- Wet Beach = 1cm (barely)
8- Dry Beach = 6cm
9- Basic 2 = 11cm

(Deus was tested with factory defaults)

[Mustafa]

For mine detection check the latest product ETMTS−2 from Tübitak.

http://www.uekae.tubitak.gov.tr/ueka...ETMTS-2-EN.pdf

ETMTS−2 (SEZER) is a new generation hand−held mine detection system containing both Metal Detector (EMI) and Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) sensors operating in challenging military conditions.
The operator can localize both metallic and non−metallic buried mines or IED’s through a scanning path and may identify the buried objects utilizing automatic classification software.
Audio−visual warnings are given to the operator by earphone/external speaker on LCD display visually. Therefore, user may create his own identification decision through audio−visual information created by the system.

Turkish news video about ETMTS−2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlelyBK5dAo

[ivconic]

For mine detection check the latest product ETMTS−2 from Tübitak.

http://www.uekae.tubitak.gov.tr/ueka...ETMTS-2-EN.pdf

ETMTS−2 (SEZER) is a new generation hand−held mine detection system containing both Metal Detector (EMI) and Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) sensors operating in challenging military conditions.
The operator can localize both metallic and non−metallic buried mines or IED’s through a scanning path and may identify the buried objects utilizing automatic classification software.
Audio−visual warnings are given to the operator by earphone/external speaker on LCD display visually. Therefore, user may create his own identification decision through audio−visual information created by the system.

Turkish news video about ETMTS−2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlelyBK5dAo

Small GPR?
It is already made before:

"..According to Army officials, the Army began developing other technologies in the mid-1980s to detect low-metallic and nonmetallic mines. Under a program now known as the Handheld Standoff Mine Detection System, a detector is being developed that integrates ground-penetrating radar, infrared, and metal detection technologies, along with electronics that are intended to synthesize and interpret the signals from the three sensors for the operator. The detector is now in competitive prototype testing and is slated for a production decision in fiscal year 2001. A gap in detection capability against low-metallic and nonmetal mines may remain until then. Our September 1995 report on unexploded ordnance provides additional information on these technologies..."

[ivconic]

Problem with such small GPR's is that those actually are very shallow.
So those can be useful and accurate only up to very shallow depths.

[Tinkerer]

ABSOLIUTELY nothing of new. you can go and make sure of. Carl had wrote all aspects, but somebody is thinking there is something fresh and he is leader in mindstorm.
http://www.geotech1.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13554

Tinkerer is great guy, but SUNNY activity in his latitude is wildest now. the sun burns the head.

Hi KT315,

ah, the language problem. The words can easily be translated, but the meaning often gets "lost in translation". People speak different languages, but the difficult part is the different ways to look at things. Different mentality. People from different parts of the world are just different.

The same word has a different meaning where you live from where I live.

I will try a simple example.

It is said that the French people live to eat and the British people eat to live. Nearly the same? Or a very different way to look at food and living in general?

Thanks for the link. Yes, everything has been mentioned already.
What has changed since then?
I would say a lot has changed. The whole world has changed.

Carl's position has changed too.

Do you think he gave the information about the non military mine detector lightly? for no purpose at all?

To make it perfectly clear and have no misunderstandings, I add this link to Carl's post. I fully agree with every part of hat he says.
http://www.geotech1.com/forums/showp...8&postcount=76

Tinkerer

[Mustafa]

There is an example for smart phone integration at http://buydeeper.com/fishfinder
It is a sonar device for fishing.
You attach the device to a fishing-line and using the fishing-rod throw it to the location where you plan to catch fish. After landing on the water, device immediately turns on and sends information using Wireless Bluetooth connection.

[Tinkerer]

"..My dear friend WM6 recently sent me one small screw made from such alloy via mail.
Objective was to test Deus on such item...."

So i did it, by now only air tests.
Soon i will perform soil tests too.
Deus is reference for me up from recently.
So it gave these results:

1- Basic 1 = 11cm
2- GMP (Gold Max Power emulator) = 14cm
3- Deus Fast = 10cm
4- 4-Pitch = 4cm
5- GMaXX (GmaXX emulator) = 13cm
6- Relic = 14 cm (slower movements - the better)
7- Wet Beach = 1cm (barely)
8- Dry Beach = 6cm
9- Basic 2 = 11cm

(Deus was tested with factory defaults)

What is the weight of the titanium screw? Size in mm?

Are these different settings on the DEUS?

Tinkerer

[ivconic]

What is the weight of the titanium screw? Size in mm?

Are these different settings on the DEUS?

Tinkerer

Oh, i can't measure it right now. Don't have such precise balance at home.
Size, that's why i placed it near cigarette; so to observers can compare sizes.
Roughly it is : 12mm long, 5mm "body" diameter and "cap" is 9mm diameter.

Those are Deus programs, 9 factory programs.


P.S.
Weight... my "redneck-ing" methods shows me it is lighter significantly than if it was made of iron.

[Tinkerer]

Oh, i can't measure it right now. Don't have such precise balance at home.
Size, that's why i placed it near cigarette; so to observers can compare sizes.
Roughly it is : 12mm long, 5mm "body" diameter and "cap" is 9mm diameter.

Those are Deus programs, 9 factory programs.


P.S.
Weight... my "redneck-ing" methods shows me it is lighter significantly than if it was made of iron.

Sorry, it has been many many years since I looked at a cigarette.

The titanium sample in the picture attached, is 3.2mm thick and weighs exactly 1 gram. So I can use that in the vertical position for testing.

Tinkerer

[Tinkerer]

Other benefits leap to mind as well. If you integrate the smartphone display with signal outputs from the MD, deaf people could have better access to metal detecting, since they would no longer be dependent on audible signals from the unit. So the app would show you on the phone display when you get a good signal, and also perhaps use the built in vibrator in the phone to give a tactile signal as well! This could be expanded on in many ways obviously.

What we need is someone well versed in smartphone hardware and software for integration purposes. Anyone here have that expertise? If not, I am fairly certain I can find someone who is who is willing to join the group and lend a hand.

Uncle Matt,

thanks for the ideas. We are glad for any help we can get.

Tinkerer

[Tinkerer]

hello Matt,



I thought about using a smart phone, but my thinking is to have a dedicated processor for the metal detector, but if it helps, I'm using a display from a semi-smart phone in my
also I have 4 LED's which will indicated different levels of detection, which would aid the hearing impaired.
my project:

http://www.geotech1.com/forums/showp...5&postcount=52

or the display:

here's a video of it working

http://youtu.be/7wdZT2Id9kM


Philip

PS:

the use of LED's is patent pending
the use of graphics LCD for target response is patent pending
the use of copper in any form in the making of a metal detector is patent pending
the use of any material listed on the periodic table and any physics pertaining to electron flow is also patent pending

just kidding..........

Interesting project. Keep it going. We all enjoy seeing new ideas.

Tinkerer

[UncleMatt]

I hope I didn't give the impression I wanted the smartphone to perform any main functions of the MD, only add peripheral utility to it with add ons.

I know the main discussion centers here around practical function of the MD, but marketing must also be considered for any successful product. Anything that will widen the demographic base without sacrificing those practical considerations should probably be considered.

For example, a young woman in my office saw a bunch of metal detecting equipment being delivered to me, and asked with a smile on her face if I was going to go metal detecting like elderly guys do in the park. That perception is a big barrier to higher sales of metal detectors, and adding smartphone integration to the MD will help the product attract a younger demographic without sacrificing appeal to older generations. An example of this would be to have various GUI options on the smartphone display to attract younger markets. It may sound totally stupid to us, but even adding cute little interactive avatars/characters to the display, or wireless ability so they can post their finds to Facebook and Twitter, will attract more buyers from a demographic that is totally ignored by current MD companies. How many MD companies offer their detectors in pink for example?

Having the option to dock your smartphone on the MD opens up all these possibilities without adding any hardware to the MD, or its associated production costs, only software that comprises the android/iphone application.

[UncleMatt]

I just realized that an LCD will probably be made an integral part of any future MD, so perhaps the smartphone integration would only make sense on designs that did not include a built in LCD display.

[hdphilip]

hi Matt

one thing I've found out about LCD displays, their's sure expensive when it comes to microprocessor overhead, and that would hold true with sending a burst of data to a smart phone.

although it would be pretty neat to have the MD "brains" mounted in a waterproof case next to the shearchhead and use the smart phone as a display via blue tooth


Philip