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Hamamatsu Corp. - Earth Innovations LB 2/24

A Tiny Sensor for Tiny Hearts

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BOULDER, Colo., Nov. 2, 2007 -- A sensor the size of a grain of rice could reduce the cost of noninvasive biomagnetic measurements such as fetal heart monitoring and may also have applications such as homeland security screening for explosives.  The prototype device developed at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) can detect magnetic field changes as small as 70 femtoteslas -- equivalent to the brain waves of a person daydreaming -- and is almost 1000 times more sensitive than the institute's original chip-scale magnetometer demonstrated in 2004.  It is also based on a different operating...Read full article

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    Published: November 2007
    Glossary
    atomic clock
    An atomic clock is a highly precise timekeeping device that uses the vibrations or oscillations of atoms as a reference for measuring time. The most common type of atomic clock uses the vibrations of atoms, typically cesium or rubidium atoms, to define the length of a second. The principle behind atomic clocks is based on the fundamental properties of atoms, which oscillate at extremely stable and predictable frequencies. The primary concept employed in atomic clocks is the phenomenon of...
    magnetometer
    A magnetometer is a scientific instrument used to measure the strength and/or direction of a magnetic field. It can detect and quantify the intensity of magnetic fields in its vicinity. Magnetometers are employed in various applications, including geophysics, navigation, archaeology, and space exploration. There are different types of magnetometers, each with its own operating principles. Common types include fluxgate magnetometers, proton precession magnetometers, and magneto-resistive...
    nano
    An SI prefix meaning one billionth (10-9). Nano can also be used to indicate the study of atoms, molecules and other structures and particles on the nanometer scale. Nano-optics (also referred to as nanophotonics), for example, is the study of how light and light-matter interactions behave on the nanometer scale. See nanophotonics.
    photonics
    The technology of generating and harnessing light and other forms of radiant energy whose quantum unit is the photon. The science includes light emission, transmission, deflection, amplification and detection by optical components and instruments, lasers and other light sources, fiber optics, electro-optical instrumentation, related hardware and electronics, and sophisticated systems. The range of applications of photonics extends from energy generation to detection to communications and...
    sensor
    1. A generic term for detector. 2. A complete optical/mechanical/electronic system that contains some form of radiation detector.
    atomatomic clockBasic SciencebiomedicalBiophotonicsbraindefenseelectromagneticfemtoteslafetalheartheart monitoringhomeland securityindustrialinfrared laserlight detectormagneticmagnetometerMEGMEMSmicroelectronicsminisensornanoNews & FeaturesnoninvasiveOpticsPETphotonicsrubidiumsensorSensors & DetectorsskullSQUIDWafersLasers

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