DOCSLIB.ORG

Metal Detectors for Personnel Screening Technote

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Metal Detectors for Personnel Screening Technote July 2009 System Assessment and Validation for Emergency Responders (SAVER) TechNote Metal Detectors for Personnel Screening Metal detectors provide the responder community with an essential tool to screen individuals that may be carrying weapons or contraband that contain metallic components. Available in walk-through and handheld The U.S. Department of Homeland Security models, metal detectors are commonly used at checkpoints in airports, (DHS) established the System Assessment and Validation for Emergency Responders (SAVER) schools, courthouses, prisons, and military installations. Program to assist emergency responders making Walk-through metal detectors can be designed for either indoor or outdoor procurement decisions. Located within the use. Outdoor models are weatherproof and are often used at temporary Science & Technology Directorate (S&T) of DHS, the SAVER Program conducts objective venues, such as concerts or sporting events. Indoor models are typically assessments and validations on commercial installed at a fixed location. They can, however, be moved if needed. equipment and systems and provides those results along with other relevant equipment Handheld metal information to the emergency response detectors, also known as community in an operationally useful form. security wands, are often SAVER provides information on equipment that used at checkpoints in falls within the categories listed in the DHS conjunction with walk- Authorized Equipment List (AEL). through metal detectors; Information provided by the SAVER Program will the handheld model be shared nationally with the responder provides focused community, providing a life-saving and screening when the cost-saving asset to DHS, as well as federal, state, and local responders. alarm in the walk- through metal detector The SAVER Program is supported by a network has been triggered. of technical agents who perform assessment and validation activities. Further, SAVER focuses Although handheld metal primarily on two main questions for the detectors are more Personnel Screening with a emergency responder community: “What Handheld and Walk-Through Metal Detector equipment is available?” and “How does it commonly used as a perform?” secondary means of screening, they can be used as a primary screening device. For more information on this and other technologies, please see the SAVER website or Handheld metal detectors are weatherproof, easy to transport, and less contact the SAVER Program Support Office. expensive than walk-through metal detectors. Walk-through models range Telephone: 877-336-2752 in price from $2,000 to over $10,000. Handheld models range in price E-mail: [email protected] from $100 to over $400. Website: https://www.rkb.us/saver Technology Overview Opinions or points of view expressed in this document are those of the authors and do not Metal detectors use electromagnetic fields to passively or actively detect necessarily represent the view or official position the presence of metallic objects. Passive detection measures the changes of the U.S. Government. in the Earth’s magnetic field caused by an object. In active detection, a This SAVER metal detector generates a time-varying magnetic field, either in the TechNote was archway of a walk-through model or in the space near a handheld model, prepared by the to determine the amount of metal present in an object. Space and Naval Warfare Systems Metals such as iron, nickel and cobalt are detected by passive and active Center Atlantic, metal detectors. Other metals, such as copper, brass and aluminum, are for the SAVER detected only by active means. Program. Walk-through metal detectors are categorized as To accommodate for existing background single-zone or multiple-zone. Multiple-zone electromagnetic fields, the majority of metal detectors technology is replacing single-zone technology, which calibrate automatically when powered-up. In addition, has been in use for more than 30 years. the sensitivity of most metal detectors is adjustable to In multiple-zone metal detectors, the archway is minimize the number of false and nuisance alarms. As divided into horizontal zones. The sensitivity of each the number of false or nuisance alarms increases, zone can be adjusted, increasing the ability of the throughput, defined as the number of people scanned metal detector to in a given period of time, decreases. False alarms may differentiate between be caused by objects in the environment that can emit weapons and metal or reflect electromagnetic fields. Fluorescent lights, items that do not pose a computer monitors, and structural steel are some examples of objects that can cause interference. danger, such as keys and Manufacturers have incorporated filtering hardware coins. The horizontal and software that suppress or compensate for zones can be further electromagnetic interference. If necessary, shifting the divided into vertical location of a checkpoint can reduce the effects of sectors. This makes it interference from certain sources such as structural possible to identify the steel in the floors and walls. approximate location of a weapon or other Personnel should be properly trained in the operation contraband. and testing of metal detectors and the metal detectors should be tested daily before use. Walk-through metal There are several design detector testing is done by carrying a test object, trends for walk-through ranging in size from a microprocessor chip to a large metal detectors. One is handgun, through the metal detector several times. If the integration of walk- a test object is not detected, the operator should adjust through metal detectors the sensitivity level of the metal detector. Using the as a component in lowest sensitivity setting that consistently detects a security systems. This Multi-Zone Metal Detector test object will decrease false and nuisance alarms. integration allows operators to remotely monitor metal detectors and lock The process for testing a handheld model is similar. access doors if an alarm is triggered. Another design Instead of carrying a test object through an archway, trend is the inclusion of a digital camera feature that however, the test object is scanned at a certain captures images of the individuals that walk through distance from the handheld metal detector to ensure the metal detector. This feature can aid law consistent detection. enforcement by assisting in the identification of people who flee a security checkpoint. Concerns Electromagnetic emissions from active metal detectors Considerations may cause interference with medical devices such as Some factors to consider when purchasing or pacemakers or defibrillators. Although this is rare, implementing a metal detector include power responders should be aware of the medical conditions requirements, sensitivity settings, and daily testing. that interference may cause. A standard 110 volt or 220 volt outlet provides power Resources to indoor and outdoor walk-through metal detectors. • A rechargeable battery pack is typically included with Handheld Metal Detectors for Use in Concealed an outdoor walk-through metal detector in the event Weapon and Contraband Detection (NIJ Standard that a standard outlet is not available at the checkpoint 0602.02) location. Battery packs typically provide power for up http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/200330.pdf to three days of continuous operation. Handheld metal • Walk-Through Metal Detectors for Use in detectors can provide up to 80 hours of continuous Concealed Weapon and Contraband Detection operation and can be powered by either 9-volt (V) (NIJ Standard 0601.02) batteries or rechargeable battery packs. http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/193510.pdf 2 .
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Users' Guide for Hand-Held and Walk-Through Metal Detectors
    U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs National Institute of Justice National Institute of Justice Users’ Guide for Hand-Held and Walk-Through Metal Detectors NIJ Guide 600–00 ABOUT THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CORRECTIONS STANDARDS AND TESTING PROGRAM The Law Enforcement and Corrections Standards and Testing Program is sponsored by the Office of Science and Technology of the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), U.S. Department of Justice. The program responds to the mandate of the Justice System Improvement Act of 1979, which directed NIJ to encourage research and development to improve the criminal justice system and to disseminate the results to Federal, State, and local agencies. The Law Enforcement and Corrections Standards and Testing Program is an applied research effort that determines the technological needs of justice system agencies, sets minimum performance standards for specific devices, tests commercially available equipment against those standards, and disseminates the standards and the test results to criminal justice agencies nationally and internationally. The program operates through: The Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Advisory Council (LECTAC), consisting of nationally recognized criminal justice practitioners from Federal, State, and local agencies, which assesses technological needs and sets priorities for research programs and items to be evaluated and tested. The Office of Law Enforcement Standards (OLES) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, which develops voluntary national performance standards for compliance testing to ensure that individual items of equipment are suitable for use by criminal justice agencies. The standards are based upon laboratory testing and evaluation of representative samples of each item of equipment to determine the key attributes, develop test methods, and establish minimum performance requirements for each essential attribute.
    [Show full text]
  • Use of Metal Detectors Tahoe National Forest
    Use of Metal Detectors Tahoe National Forest Metal Detector Use Definitions Metal detectors are used by both hobbyists and professionals to look for hidden coins, pipes, and other metallic objects. Due to the need to protect Treasure Trove archaeological sites, we’ve prepared this guide for the Treasure trove includes money, gems, precious metal use of metal detectors on Tahoe National Forest lands. coins, plate, or bullion that has been deliberately hidden If you have questions, contact information is listed on the with the intention of recovering it later. The search for back of this document. buried treasure can involve methods that are damaging to natural and cultural resources, thus a special-use permit from the Forest Service is required. Each permit Help Protect History request is evaluated before such permits are granted. Archaeological sites throughout California provide important insights and knowledge about the past that Archaeological Sites can be gained nowhere else. They are the repositories The use of metal detectors to locate objects of historical for people and cultures not represented in history books. or archaeological value is permitted subject to the Removing artifacts from sites destroys the context of the provisions of the Archaeological Resource Protection Act site, much like tearing pages from a book. Professional of 1979 and the Secretary of Agriculture’s Regulations. archaeologists depend on finding artifacts in their This activity requires a special-use permit. Permits are original location and association to other objects, so they only issued for legitimate research conducted by can accurately understand and interpret the story of that qualified professional archaeologists.
    [Show full text]
  • How to Find GOLD
    FIND GOLD TO HOW “Whether you hunt for gold How to Find in the field and stream or in old mines, mine dumps or dredge piles, this book will guide you on your quest to GOLD recover more gold.” Metal Detecting and Panning GARRETT/L Learn effective use of a metal detector and gold pan for: AGAL • Dry panning • Wet panning • Nugget hunting • Field searching Ram Publishing Company A subsidiary of Garrett Metal Detectors ISBN-13: 978-0-915920-98-3 ISBN-10: 0-915920-98-0 $3.95 R 1881 West State Street 50395 Garland, TX 75042 AM PN 1509400 ISBN 0-915920-98-0 9 780915 920983 Charles Garrett / Roy Lagal How to Find GOLD Metal Detecting and Panning Charles Garrett/Roy Lagal HOW TO FIND GOLD © Charles L. Garrett/Roy Lagal 2007 Manufactured in the United States of America. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage or retrieval system, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information, address all inquiries to Editor, Ram Publishing Company. First printing: July 2007 2 www.garrett.com CONTENTS About the Author ...................................................5 Introduction ............................................................9 Basic Tools.............................................................11 Additional Tools ...............................................12 Using a Pan to Find Gold ....................................13 Wet Panning .....................................................14
    [Show full text]
  • Volume 1 – FOC 2018
    1 2 Table of Contents Surveying the Field II The Materiality of Roman Battle: Applying Conflict Archaeology Methods to the Roman World Joanne E. Ball…………………………………………………………………4 Methods in Conflict Archaeology: The Netherlands During the Napoleonic Era (1794-1815). Using Detector Finds to Shed Light on An Under-researched Period. Vincent van der Veen………………………………………………………..19 Musket Balls from the Boston Massacre: Are they Authentic? Dan Sivilich and Joel Bohy………………………………………………….31 Revisiting the US military ‘Levels of War’ Model as a Conceptual Tool in Conflict Archaeology: A Case Study of WW2 Landscapes in Normandy, France. David G Passmore, David Capps-Tunwell, Stephan Harrison………………44 A Decade of Community-Based Projects in the Pacific on WWII Conflict Sites Jennifer F. McKinnon and Toni L. Carrell…………………………………..61 Avocational Detectorists and Battlefield Research: Potential Data Biases Christopher T. Espenshade…………………………………………………..68 Maritime Conflict Archaeology: Battle of the Java Sea: Past and Present Conflicts Robert de Hoop and Martijn Manders……………………………………….75 A Battleship in the Wilderness: The Story of the Chippewa and Lake Ontario’s Forgotten War of 1812 Naval Shipyard* Timothy J. Abel……………………………………………………………...88 3 Surveying the Field II The Materiality of Roman Battle: Applying Conflict Archaeology Methodology to the Roman World. Joanne E. Ball Archaeology, Classics & Egyptology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7WZ [email protected] ABSTRACT Over the last three decades a growing number of Roman battle sites have been identified across western Europe. Archaeological study of these sites has adapted methodologies developed from the Little Bighorn project onward to the material characteristics of Roman battle, and continue to be refined. Difficulties have been encountered in locating sites within a landscape, due to inadequacies in the historical record.
    [Show full text]
  • NATIONAL ACADEMIES of SCIENCES and ENGINEERING NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL of the UNITED STATES of AMERICA
    NATIONAL ACADEMIES OF SCIENCES AND ENGINEERING NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA UNITED STATES NATIONAL COMMITTEE International Union of Radio Science National Radio Science Meeting 4-8 January 2000 Sponsored by USNC/URSI University of Colorado Boulder, Colorado U.S.A. United States National Committee INTERNATIONAL UNION OF RADIO SCIENCE PROGRAM AND ABSTRACTS National Radio Science Meeting 4-8 January 2000 Sponsored by USNC/URSI NOTE: Programs and Abstracts of the USNC/URSI Meetings are available from: USNC/URSI National Academy of Sciences 2101 Constitution Avenue, N.W. Washington, DC 20418 at $5 for 1983-1999 meetings. The full papers are not published in any collected format; requests for them should be addressed to the authors who may have them published on their own initiative. Please note that these meetings are national. They are not organized by the International Union, nor are the programs available from the International Secretariat. ii MEMBERSHIP United States National Committee INTERNATIONAL UNION OF RADIO SCIENCE Chair: Gary Brown* Secretary & Chair-Elect: Umran S. !nan* Immediate Past Chair: Susan K. Avery* Members Representing Societies, Groups, and Institutes: American Astronomical Society Thomas G. Phillips American Geophysical Union Donald T. Farley American Meteorological Society vacant IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society Linda P.B. Katehi IEEE Geosciences and Remote Sensing Society Roger Lang IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society Arthur A. Oliner Members-at-Large: Amalia Barrios J. Richard Fisher Melinda Picket-May Ronald Pogorzelski W. Ross Stone Richard Ziolkowski Chairs of the USNC/URSI Commissions: Commission A Moto Kanda Commission B Piergiorgio L. E. Uslenghi Commission C Alfred 0.
    [Show full text]
  • Garrett at Gold Metal Detector Is the Most ALL METAL MODE
    AT GOLD AT Owner’s Manual Deep-seeking True All Metal Mode Performance for All Terrain Prospecting! 1881 W. State Street Garland, Texas 75042 Tel: 1.972.494.6151 Email: [email protected] Fax: 1.972.494.1881 © 2011 Garrett Electronics, Inc. PN 1533500.A.0811 Owner’s Manual THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING GARRETT METAL DETECTORS! Congratulations on the purchase of your new Garrett AT Gold™ metal detector. It was designed to find tiny gold nuggets in the most challenging prospecting environments, including shallow fresh water hunting. The AT Gold operates at a high frequency optimized for gold prospecting and includes a True All Metal Mode. The ALL MEtaL Mode is preferred for prospecting because it provides the greatest possible depth and sensitivity. It also provides a continuous audio response to allow the operator to hear the subtle detection signals produced by faint targets. The AT Gold is a Motion All Metal detector, meaning that slight motion of the searchcoil is required to maintain detection, although static detection of targets can be achieved while in Pinpoint mode. The AT Gold includes manual and automatic Ground Balance—plus an exclusive Ground Balance Window™ feature—to optimize the detector's performance in highly mineralized ground, where gold is most often found. This detector is also waterproof to a maximum depth of 10 feet (3 meters) for searching in freshwater lakes and streams. In addition to its True All Metal Mode, the AT Gold includes two Discrimination Modes, making it a versatile coin and relic hunting machine. When selecting either the DISC 1 or DISC 2 mode, the operator gains more Tone ID information from targets in addition to the ability to discriminate unwanted trash targets (e.g.
    [Show full text]
  • F75-Gold.Pdf
    F75-MANUAL.qx_M75-F75Manual 10/8/14 9:43 AM Page 1 F75 Comprehensive Operating Manual & Guide to Metal Detecting ACCESSORIES Fisher® Padded Carry Bag Rugged double stitched construction. Includes handy exterior pocket for extra batteries or small accessories. 103693000C Fisher® Camo Pouch Camo pouch with two inside pockets, belt included. – PCH-F Stereo Headphones Use with Fisher metal detectors. Lightweight and adjustable with true stereo sound, adjustable volume, 1/8 jack with 1/4 adaptor, 4’ cable. 9720950000 Metal Sand Scoop Large galvanized metal scoop with filtering holes. Strong Rubberized grip. SAND SCOOP Lesche Knife Made from high quality heat-treated tempered steel. The ultimate digging tool. Comes with a durable sheath. 12" in length with a 7" serrated blade. LESCHE KNIFE Metal Detector Comprehensive Operating Manual Fisher® Baseball Cap One size fits all. FCAP & Guide to Metal Detecting Fisher® T-Shirt 100% white cotton with Fisher® Logo. Sizes – S, M, LG, XL & XXL. FTSHIRT Replacement/Accessory Searchcoils 15” DD Round Open Coil – 15COIL-F75 Better performance in High-E.M.I. environments. 11” Biaxial Replacement Coil – 11COIL-F75 10” Concentric Accessory Coil – 10COIL-F70 Even better target separation! 6.5” Concentric Accessory Coil – 6COIL-E 5” Biaxial Accessory Coil - 5COIL-F75 Coil Covers Specially made to protect your coil from abrasion and damage. 15” DD Round Open Coil Cover – 15COVER-F75 11” Biaxial Replacement Coil Cover – COVER-11DD 10” Concentric Accessory Coil Cover – F70COVER 6.5” Concentric Accessory Coil Cover- 6COVER-E 5” Biaxial Accessory Coil Cover - 5COVER-CZ3 Neoprene Face Rain Cover Specially designed to protect your detector from dirt and water - FACE-COVER Gold Prospecting Kits FOR COMPLETE DETAILS VISIT WWW.FISHERLAB.COM • 1-800-685-5050 M75 Rev.4 100814 F75-MANUAL.qx 3/31/14 1:18 PM Page 2 F75 F75 Comprehensive Operating Manual & Guide to Metal Detecting Comprehensive Operating Manual & Guide to Metal Detecting 5-Year Limited Warranty The F75 is a multipurpose metal detector.
    [Show full text]
  • Metal Detector
    Date: 8/7/2003 Student Name: Frederick Reitberger TA: Uriel Rodriguez Louis Brandy Vinh Trinh Instructor: A. Arroyo University of Florida Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering EEL 5666 Intelligent Machines Design Laboratory Sensor Report Metal Detector The metal detector sensor is used to detect nearby metal. It is based on a beat frequency oscillator (BFO) design. An RLC circuit is amplified so that it resonates at a specific frequency. Another RLC circuit is designed to match that frequency. These circuits are compared, and any difference in the frequencies of the two circuits is amplified and sent to an audio device, such as a speaker or headphones. The inductor in the first RLC circuit is the search loop and the inductor in the second RLC circuit is the reference coil. When metal comes into proximity of the search coil, the inductance and the frequency change. This can be heard as a tone from the headphones or speaker. A search coil was created by winding 20 turns of 22 gauge wire around a 4” diameter loop. I modified this design by only using one RLC circuit and amplifying the oscillator. The output is then fed through a 74’HC04 digital inverter to produce a good digital signal for the microprocessor and as a buffer in the case that the amplifier was designed incorrectly and would burn out the digital chip it is connected to. The output of the sensor is connected to a microprocessor’s asynchronous counter input pin. The sensor is read by clearing the count value and then waiting a specific length of time.
    [Show full text]
  • Fast Tracker Metal Detector Is a MOTION Metal Detector; Movement Over an Object Is Required in Order for the Machine to Detect an Object and Emit a Tone
    OWNER’S MANUAL The Basics of Metal Detecting Your Fast Tracker Metal Detector is a MOTION metal detector; movement over an object is required in order for the machine to detect an object and emit a tone. The Fast Tracker has eliminated the two most difficult aspects of detecting - ground balancing and target tuning. Both of these functions are automatic. With only two operating knobs, you are on the Fast Track to finding buried treasure! CAUTION: FOR OUTDOOR USE ONLY: • If demonstrating indoors, beware of interference from electromagnetic fields. • If interference occurs, the detector will chatter or beep erratically. • To avoid interference, turn the sensitivity down, turn off lights and appliances, or use outdoors. DO NOT TEST ON THE FLOOR Most floors contain metal, which will interfere with the target’s signal. USE 9 volt ALKALINE batteries ONLY. TABLE OF CONTENTS Features . .3 Assembly . .4 Batteries . .5 Fast Demonstration . .6 Using headphones . .7 Basic Operation . .7-8 In the field techniques . .9-10 Troubleshooting . .10 Care and manintenance . .11 Metal detecting applications . .12 Treasure Hunter’s Code of Ethics . .15 Warranty . .15 Accessories . .Back Cover 2 FAST TRACKER FEATURES Padded Armrest Discriminate Control S-Rod Handle System Detector Stand Comfort Hand-grip Headphone Jack Sensitivity Control Interchangeable Coil System 7" Waterproof Coil 3 EASY ASSEMBLY Assembling your Fast Tracker Metal Searchcoil Detector is easy and requires no tools. Just follow these steps: ●1 Using the supplied bolt and knurled knob, attach the search coil to the lower stem. Button side ●2 Press the button on the upper end Lower Stem of the lower stem and slide the lower stem into the upper stem.
    [Show full text]
  • Walk-Through Metal Detectors for Use in Concealed Weapon and Contraband Detection
    U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs National Institute of Justice National Institute of Justice Law Enforcement and Corrections Standards and Testing Program Walk-Through Metal Detectors for Use in Concealed Weapon and Contraband Detection NIJ Standard-0601.01 ABOUT THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CORRECTIONS STANDARDS AND TESTING PROGRAM The Law Enforcement and Corrections Standards and Testing Program is sponsored by the Office of Science and Technology of the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), U.S. Department of Justice. The program responds to the mandate of the Justice System Improvement Act of 1979, which directed NIJ to encourage research and development to improve the criminal justice system and to disseminate the results to Federal, State, and local agencies. The Law Enforcement and Corrections Standards and Testing Program is an applied research effort that determines the technological needs of justice system agencies, sets minimum performance standards for specific devices, tests commercially available equipment against those standards, and disseminates the standards and the test results to criminal justice agencies nationally and internationally. The program operates through: The Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Advisory Council (LECTAC), consisting of nationally recognized criminal justice practitioners from Federal, State, and local agencies, which assesses technological needs and sets priorities for research programs and items to be evaluated and tested. The Office of Law Enforcement Standards (OLES) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, which develops voluntary national performance standards for compliance testing to ensure that individual items of equipment are suitable for use by criminal justice agencies. The standards are based upon laboratory testing and evaluation of representative samples of each item of equipment to determine the key attributes, develop test methods, and establish minimum performance requirements for each essential attribute.
    [Show full text]
  • Metal Detectors and Physics Education
    Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. Space Research and Technology Institute. Aerospace Research in Bulgaria. 27, 2015, Sofia METAL DETECTORS AND PHYSICS EDUCATION Georgi Golemshinski Sofia University e-mail: [email protected] Abstract Metal detector equipment has become a profound and ubiquitous geophysical device class widely available not only to scientists, but to general public, hobbyists, recreational enthusiasts and sport addicts alike. Handheld metal detectors are by no doubt the most widespread geophysical apparatus existing. Models range from simple toy-like inexpensive models to extremely sophisticated computerized systems with plenty of features and modes of operation. The use of metal detectors during the years has found applications such as military demining operations, archaeology, treasure hunting, mineral analysis, ground infrastructure surveying, etc. But being such an elaborate instrument, the metal detector has ever been neglected for its potential as a mobile handheld physics educational laboratory that is capable of showing to students at schools and universities many physical phenomena concerning electricity and electromagnetism, radio-electronics, soil and rock properties, water and mineral properties, microprocessors and computer technologies and even astronomy. The present publication strives to disclose those hidden capabilities of metal detectors to the reader and concentrate the physics teacher attention to the metal detector avenue as being a fruitful laboratory for tutoring many branches of physics in a pleasant and involving way to the young and not only the young generation. 1. Introduction Metal detectors are geophysical devices and as such exhibit a number of physical phenomena to the observer. With this regard, they incorporate systems that utilize physical properties of the ground substances and construction materials in order to extract information about the objects that are underneath or to study the ground, soil, rock, water, concrete, or other material properties.
    [Show full text]
  • Improving Experience with a Metal Detector Project for Electromag- Netics
    Paper ID #25686 BYOE: Improving Experience with a Metal Detector Project for Electromag- netics Dr. Harold R. Underwood, Messiah College Dr. Underwood received his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign (UIUC) in 1989, and has been a faculty member of the engineering Department at Messiah College since 1992. Besides teaching Circuits, Electromagnetics, and Communications Systems, he su- pervises engineering students in the Communications Technology Group on credited work in the Inte- grated Projects Curriculum (IPC) of the Engineering Department, and those who participate voluntarily via the Collaboratory for Strategic Partnerships and Applied Research. His on-going projects include improving flight tracking and messaging systems for small planes in remote locations and enhancing a fluency assistance device to mitigate speech impediments. c American Society for Engineering Education, 2019 BYOE: Improving Experience with a Metal Detector Project For Electromagnetics I. Introduction Students in a theory-oriented first undergrad electrical engineering course on electromagnetics (EMAG) often find key concepts difficult to grasp, despite background in the relevant general physics. For example, ideas of the electric field, magnetic field and time-varying induction remain vague to inexperienced students without visual illustrations [1] and tangible examples of the role they play in modern technology. Students at this stage need and expect to be motivated by a more active and applied approach to EMAG than has been traditionally offered [2]-[4]. A typical EMAG text emphasizes the mathematical theory of Maxwell’s equations for solving problems [5], [6]. While the mathematical approach excels in expressing relationships of EMAG concisely, and lends tools for effective problem solving, treating the subject solely in this way can leave the practical application context of problems unclear to students.
    [Show full text]