Development of a micro composite wire MEG sensor

Abstract

A portable brain activity monitoring device is very versatile as it can be used in many applications. The objective is to develop a high sensitivity micro composite MEG sensor which can be used in a portable brain activity monitoring device. A novel micro magnetic sensor called Current Driven Magnetic Permeability Interference (CDMPI) sensor has been developed for this purpose. The micro composite sensor makes use of the interference in the magnetic permeability when a sinusoidal current is passed into the sensing element which in the presence of an external D.C. magnetic field, an output voltage is induced across the pickup coil. Next, a capacitor is connected across the pickup coil so that a circuit resonance is introduced into the sensor and thereby increases the sensitivity of the sensor. Hence, these parameters including the number of turns in the pickup coil are tested and discussed in this research project.