3D Scanner using static electric fields

[taylaron]

Greetings PFers,
Can someone help explain to me the difficulties of designing a device which utilizes static electric fields to map an objects’ internals and externals?

My understanding is that as a electric field propagates through matter, it encounters absorption.
I envision a device which utilizes a RF emitter and a sensor 180 degrees opposite the object being scanned. Wouldn't this scanner function much like a CT scanner? As the field penetrates more matter, its field strength decreases a measurable amount.

Conductive objects would make scanning difficult because they would conduct the electric field, instead of impeding it.

-Tay

 

[mfb]

All objects are conducting, there are no perfect insulators.
I'm not sure how the object reconstruction would look like, and you will certainly need a lot of data points and sender/receiver combinations, together with a very good timing resolution (<< nanosecond) to detect the RF phase. And it fails if too much metal is in the object, of course.

RF fields are not static, by the way.

 

[taylaron]

​

All objects are conducting, there are no perfect insulators.
I'm not sure how the object reconstruction would look like, and you will certainly need a lot of data points and sender/receiver combinations, together with a very good timing resolution (<< nanosecond) to detect the RF phase. And it fails if too much metal is in the object, of course.

RF fields are not static, by the way.

Sorry, I thought I removed all references to RF fields. I changed my position to static electric fields instead.

Without having to worry about sub nanosecond accuracy with static fields, I still see conductive objects as being an obstacle, but surely an algorithm can be used to solve most of that problem. Any other thoughts?

-Tay

 

[mfb]

I still don't see how you want to do a proper 3D reconstruction. It will be highly non-trivial to distinguish parts of the 3D object with static fields.

 

[alphy]

Hello Tay,

I can provide some insights on the difficulties of designing a device that uses static electric fields for mapping objects' internals and externals.

Firstly, one of the main challenges would be ensuring the accuracy and precision of the measurements. Static electric fields can be easily influenced by external factors such as temperature, humidity, and other electromagnetic fields. These factors can affect the electric field strength and potentially alter the mapping results. Therefore, careful calibration and control of these variables would be necessary to obtain reliable and accurate data.

Secondly, the design of the device would need to take into consideration the properties of the object being scanned. As you mentioned, conductive objects would pose a challenge as they can conduct the electric field and potentially interfere with the measurements. The device would need to be able to differentiate between the object and its surroundings to accurately map its internals and externals.

Additionally, the resolution of the mapping would also be a factor to consider. The ability of the electric field to penetrate through matter and its strength decreasing with depth would limit the resolution of the mapping. This could be mitigated by using multiple sensors at different distances from the object, but this would also increase the complexity of the device.

In terms of functioning like a CT scanner, while the principle may be similar, there are significant differences in how the two devices operate. A CT scanner uses X-rays, which have higher penetration power and can provide more detailed images. The use of electric fields may limit the depth of penetration and therefore the level of detail in the mapping.

In conclusion, designing a 3D scanner using static electric fields would require careful consideration and control of various factors to ensure accurate and reliable results. Conductive objects and limitations in resolution would also need to be addressed in the design process. I hope this helps to answer your question.