That noise-making-machine called Metal Detectors

Metal Detectors are electronic devices that create noise when they detect metals. But do you
know who invented these noise makers? You sure have heard his name before, because he also
invented the telephone; yes you got it right, it is Alexander Graham Bell who invented the metal
detector as well. It was in July 1881 when Alexander Graham Bell paved the way for the metal detectors
to be invented. When President Garfield was shot by Charles Guiteau, the doctors of the former were
not able to locate the slug that was shot right at the president. At that time, Alexander Graham Bell was
asked to help locate the bullet since he has knowledge about electricity. He then made the first ever
metal detector, an electromagnetic device which he called induction balance. The attempt to locate
the fatal metal bullet was a failure because President Garfield back then, was lying down on a hospital
bed full of metal springs that caused the induction balance to be confused. Thereafter, Gerhard
Fischar invented and applied for a patent for the portable metal detector in 1925. Since then the simple
induction balance that Alexander Graham Bell made inspired many metal detectors of today.

Although metal detectors are widely used nowadays, not only for medical purposes but for security,
archaeology, civil engineering, industries and many more, people have still many mistaken notions
about this noise-making-machine. This article will get some of those myths busted.

#1 MYTH: You Can Use Your Metal Detector Wherever You Want. Why is this myth? Because Federal
laws prohibits treasure hunting without prior application for permit in lands owned by the government
or other historical sites. Also, it is important to note that it is an elementary rule that private property
laws are ought to be respected.

#2 MYTH: Metal Detectors are for Experts Only. Why is this myth? Ordinary men found treasures using
metal detectors in their backyards. Even kids have used metal detectors and found amazing things, in
Virginia; two young boys dug an artillery shell from the Confederate Army by accident after playing with
a metal detector at their grandfathers backyard.

#3 MYTH: Metal Detectors that use electromagnetic waves are dangerous. Why is this myth? The
National Institute for Standards and Technology, the Applied Physics Laboratory at John Hopkins
University and also the FDA all came to a conclusion after testing these kind of metal detectors that the
radiation emitted from them which used electromagnetic waves are just minor amounts of radiation,
hence, they are safe to pass through even for pregnant women, for they do not bring any amount of
harm.

#4 MYTH: Not All Metals are Detectable. Why is this myth? A metal may be detected depending on the
intensity and frequency of the metal detector. So when a particular kind of metal was not detected by a
certain type of metal detector, it does not necessarily mean that such metal is not detectable at all,
because other types of metal detectors having higher frequency will be able to detect them.
#5 Myth: Metal Detectors can see everything. Why is this myth? Metal detectors can only detect
metals; hence, non-metal materials cannot be detected or seen by the metal detector.

Metal Detectors has greatly evolved from one simple metal detector invented by Alexander
Graham Bell to the most complex of its kind that is available in the market today. But most metal
detectors use almost the same techniques, thus it can either any of the following:

(1) Very low frequency (VLF) metal detectors that generate an electromagnetic field which is produced
by two coils, the outer coil send electricity to the ground in a continuous sine wave. On the other hand,
the inner coils function is to detect frequencies from those items buried under the ground. Collectively,
these two coils create a magnetic field, which causes a response from such metal objects;

(2) Pulse Induction (PI), this kind of metal detector has the ability to ignore both nonconductive and
conductive mineralization in the environment at the same time has high sensitivity to all metal objects
being targeted. Unlike the VLF, the PI uses only a single coil. To generate a magnetic field, the single coil
sends out short pulse of current. The good thing about this kind of metal detector is that it is not
affected by rocks with high iron content or salt water that is highly mineralized as this stuff wreak havoc
to the conventional metal detectors. In average the PI metal detector sends out 100 pulses per second;
(3) Beat-frequency oscillation (BFO), this is a very sensitive metal detector. Since this is an old variety of
a metal detector, it needs to be adjusted to a relative temperature when it is used. As this is highly
sensitive it is capable of detecting very tiny objects at a depth of at least 8 inches. This kind uses two
coils, these coils oscillate at diverse frequencies which generate radio waves at a frequency of 494 KHZ,
and this helps in finding small objects such as rings and coins. Among the three, this is the most popular
for beginners.