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Key Technology

The basic component of all magnetic sensors is a fully integrated planar SQUID magnetometer produced using Nb technology. The sensing area is a square of 8 mm side length. This rugged element with an intrinsic noise level below 5 fT/Hz1/2, is the modular basis for a flexible construction of complex sensor systems, including arrays of triaxial vectormagnetometers.

The noise cancellation strategy is based on the use of a combination of cost optimized shielded environment and real time compensation (software gradiometers) performed using reference magnetometer measuring the environmental disturbances.

The dewars are build on the basis of monolithic structures of compound materials for maximization of safety and reliability: low noise and low consumption are obtained with proprietary technology.

On this basis several sensor array configurations have been developed, optimized for different applications. Four sensor array configurations are available today:

ARGOS 50 - a planar biomagnetometer specially designed for Magnetocardiography and Magnetoneurography. The sensor array consists of 55 SQUID sensors covering a circular planar surface with a diameter of 23 cm. The reference array consists of 19 SQUID sensors located at a distance of 70 mm in a plane parallel to the measurement plane  and it is used for noise cancellation. The first installation of this sensor array has been performed at the Zentralinstitut für Biomedizinische Technik, University of Ulm, Germany. A general view is available (ULM-1). A second sensor system has been installed at the Istituto di Tecnologie Avanzate Biomediche, University Chieti, Italy. A general view is available (CHIETI-1)
 
ARGOS 150 - is a helmet shaped system for Magnetoencephalography. The sensor array consists of 165 SQUID sensors located in 165 indipendent measurement sites, with an inter- sensor separation less then 30 mm for appropriate spatial sampling. Three orthogonal triplets are available for noise cancellation. The first installation has been completed at the Istituto di Tecnologie Avanzate Biomediche, University Chieti, Italy. A general view is available (CHIETI-2).
ARGOS 200 - a planar biovectormagnetometer specially designed for Magnetocardiography and Magnetoneurography. The sensor array consists of 55 SQUID sensors triplets covering a circular planar surface with a diameter of 23 cm. The reference array consists of 7 SQUID sensors triplets located at a distance of 70 mm in a plane parallel to the measurement plane and it is used for noise cancellation.

ARGOS 500 - a helmet shaped biovectormagnetometer specially designed for Magnetoencephalography. The sensor array consists of 165 SQUID sensors triplets located in 165 indipendent measurement sites, with an inter-sensor separation less then 30 mm for appropriate spatial sampling. Three orthogonal triplets are available for noise cancellation.

Due to the modularity and simplicity of the basic structure, design variations  can be easily realized to take into account requirements for special applications.
 

FURTHER TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Bioelectrical Amplifier - low noise, high impedance, differential input biopreamplifiers, modularly expandable between 32 and 128 channels. The maximum number of electrical channels usable simultaneously with the magnetic recordings depends on the choosen configuration of magnetic sensor and data acquisition system.

Data Acquisition System - modularly expandable until 644 channels; resolution of conversion of 24 bits; fixed sampling rate of 8.4kHz; DC coupled or AC coupling at hardware level, acquisition bandpass is determined via digital filters.

Acquisition Mode
        - continuous mode - acquisition with operator or external control
                                         supports pretrigger
                                         supports multiple coded triggers
                                         supports text labeling of events
        - segmented mode - supports multiple code trigger
                                          supports internal control of stimulus generator
                                          supports internal threshold triggering
                                          supports external triggering

Mass Storage Capability
        ultra high speed disk for primary storing                100 GB
        RAID disk system for data storing and analysis    few TB
        Archive on CD-ROM, DVD or MOD

Real Time Monitoring
        dedicated video processor and high resolution monitor
        continuous display of patient data stripchart recorder style, max 64 channels simultaneously
        preconfigured channels configurations or customized configurations
        support interactive display customization

Operator Consolle
       operates interactively or downloading preconfigured measurement protocolls
       dedicated video processor and high resolution monitor for real time monitoring of
       data or preanalysed data for decisional use
       supports data archiving
       supports hardware monitoring and maintenance procedures and diagnostics

OMEGA Data Analysis Software
 

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Last modified: October 30, 1999