The ZG1M or MIG chip enables the world's lowest parts count metal detectors to be built with the capabilities to distinguish between ferrous and non ferrous.
- For a typical VLF metal detector coil: generates a 'low' impedance current stepwise sinusoid frequency. The step resolution makes filtering to a smooth sinusoid simple. VLF coils can even filter the steps out making additional filtering components unnecessary.
- Amplifies a response signal without external ICs
- Processes and interprets amplified signal responses efficiently using a well integrated combination of digital, analog and microcontroller processing techniques.
- Has very fast ground balancing and a very fast response allowing for fast sweep speeds
- When targets are close to the coil has characteristics that allow pinpointing and depth estimation without turning off ground balancing, as long as there is a very small amount of movement.
- Very simple for users to operate in the field
- Provides an audio signal with five identifiable tone types. These tones arise from an algorithm attempting to interprets its environment as (1) neutral, (2) nonferrous metal, (3) ferrous metal, (4) ambiguous or (5) magnetic environment/''mineralisation'.
- Provide a UART control interface to the part to allow for calibration, testing or for change of coils.
- Can be field upgraded through the UART to take advantage of improved algorithms and algorithms with different characteristics.
MIG Capabilities
The MIG chip provides a continuous tone (square wave) that can be used through a headset or be amplified for a loudspeaker.
The MIG chip is still under development and can be field upgraded to take advantage of improvements.
One of the main long term goals of the MIG is reliable discrimination as well as ultra fast response. From a technical standpoint these goals are in tension with one another. One can be improved at the expense of the other. For the initial algorithm we have favored very fast response.
Discrimination is a common term in metal detection to denote the ability to distinguish between ferrous metal junk (such as nails, horseshoes and cans) and between non-ferrous metal (such as coins and gold).
While discrimination works with the current algorithm and appears to be as good as that on common VLF metal detectors, compromises were made with ferrous/non-ferrous discrimination in the current algorithm of a wider range of target size and shape. This was done in order to bias the algorithm towards simplicity of use with very fast response and higher sensitivity.