Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Insight Neuroimaging Systems, Inc.

Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

US Synthetic Corporation

Reinhold Ludwig

Gene Bogdanov

Sergey N Makarov

Craig F Ferris

Diran Apelian

Arthur C Allard

John A McNeill

Jean A King

Kenneth Eugene Bertagnolli

Jason Keith Wiggins

Souheil Benzerrouk

Francesca Scire-Scappuzzo

Scott W Biederman

Jennifer A Stander

Mathew Brevard

Aghogho Obi

Brian M Foley

Embodiments of the invention relate to electrical impedance tomography testing systems and methods for non-destructively testing a polycrystalline diamond element (e.g., a polycrystalline diamond table of a polycrystalline diamond compact or a freestanding polycrystalline diamond table) using electrical impedance tomography to locate one or more high-electrical-conductivity regions (e.g., one or more regions of poorly sintered diamond crystals and/or high-metal-solvent catalyst content) and/or one or more low-electrical-conductivity regions (e.g., porosity and/or cracks) in the tested polycrystalline diamond element. Further embodiments relate to a rotary drill bit including at least one polycrystalline diamond compact that has been selectively positioned so that one or more high-electrical-conductivity regions of a polycrystalline diamond table thereof identified using the non-destructive testing systems and methods disclosed herein are not positioned to engage a subterranean formation during drilling.

Methods and systems for non-destructively testing a polycrystalline diamond element

A pulsed thermography defect detection apparatus including active and passive infrared (IR) thermography for non-destructive testing (NDT) of powdermetallic (P/M) components for on-line and off-line inspection.

Infrared defect detection system and method for the evaluation of powdermetallic compacts

A semiconductor patch antenna for microwave radiation having a wide pin-junction or pn-junction with the depletion region or embodiments having a separating buried oxide (SiO) layer between p- and n-doped regions as the natural resonator volume. Embodiments that do not include a metal ground plane and/or a metal patch are disclosed.

Semiconductor patch antenna

A level sensing system and method for determining the level of a conductive material in a casting mold are disclosed, wherein the level sensing system a drive circuit and an inductive component disposed adjacent to the casting mold, and a position of the conductive material in the casting mold may be determined by a change in an electrical characteristic of the drive circuit.

Non-invasive real-time level sensing and feedback system for the precision sand casting process

A dual-tuned volume coil for performing MR imaging according to one embodiment includes an inner cylinder having a first coil structure disposed on an inner surface thereof and a second coil structure disposed on an outer surface thereof. The first coil structure operates at a first resonance frequency and the second coil structure operates at a second resonance frequency. The volume coil includes an outer shield disposed about the inner cylinder, with the first and second coil structure being connected to the outer shield by means of a plurality of capacitors.

Dual-tuned microstrip resonator volume coil

In one aspect, a restraining assembly for an awake animal within a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device is provided and includes a body restrainer having a first part and a second part that hold a body of the awake animal therebetween. The assembly is of a dual coil design in that it has a volume coil for generating an excitation RF signal and an RF surface coil for receiving an RF response from the animal. The assembly further includes components that serve to restrain movements of the animal, thereby eliminating motion artifacts during the MRI procedure. For example, the assembly preferably includes an adjustable hip holder that has a first section that seats against and applies a restraining force to a buttocks/hip area of the animal and a second section that is adjustably coupled to a pivoting member that is attached to the first section of the body restrainer such that the hip holder is adjustable in both a longitudinal direction along a length of the body restrainer and an up/down direction within the body restrainer between the first and second parts thereof. The pivoting member having features that permit the hip holder to be locked in a desired location so that a sufficient restraining force is applied the animal.

Method and apparatus for performing neuroimaging

A microstrip-based RF coil for use in an MRI apparatus constructed to perform human head imaging is provided and includes (a) a cylindrical non-magnetic core module having an outer surface and a longitudinal axis, a cylindrical bore extending through the core module along the longitudinal axis and defining an inner surface; and a plurality of conductive strip lines. The strip lines extend parallel to the longitudinal axis on the outer surface of the core module. The coil is constructed such that one or more of the conductive strips are divided into conductive microstrip segments with one or more tuning capacitors being bridged between two adjacent microstrip segmented sections of the conductive strip. The coil also include a shield support cylinder that is disposed concentrically about the core module and is spaced therefrom to receive the tuning capacitors. The shield support cylinder supports a conductive segmented shield that is operatively connected to the conductive strips through tunable capacitors at a front and rear of the shield support cylinder.

Microstrip coil design for MRI apparatus

Multi-modal coils for coupling MRI RF signals from an anatomical region(s) to be imaged. The coil includes a segmented annular base ring conductor including a plurality of capacitances disposed between the segments, and at least one arcuate conductor symmetrically connected at each end to the base ring, one end terminating in direct contact with the base ring, the other end electrically connected to the base ring via two of the capacitive electrical connections. The RF coil is operable in multiple receiving modes in phase quadrature to establish a rotating magnetic field phasor orthogonal to the temporally constant uniform magnetic field of the magnetic resonance instrument. The RF coil can be combined with a second RF coil to simultaneously image two anatomical regions.

Multi-modal RF coil for magnetic resonance imaging

The present invention relates to systems and methods of performing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in awake animals. The invention utilizes head and body restrainers to position an awake animal relative to a radio frequency dual coil system operating in a high field magnetic resonance imaging system to provide images of high resolution without motion artifact.

The present invention relates to systems of methods of detecting and measuring inclusions in liquid metals. More particularly, non-metallic inclusions having a conductivity level different from the liquid metal melt are forced to migrate and are collected on a measurement surface using electromagnetic Lorentz forces. The inclusions and their concentrations are detected at the measurement surface using either an electrostatic detection system or an optical detection system.

Systems for detecting and measuring inclusions

Systems for detecting measuring inclusions

An innovative multi-dimensional, low frequency, impedance measurement probe array, measurement system, and method are disclosed for detecting flaws in conductive articles. The device and method provide for contacting a conductive article with an multi-probe array of current and voltage probes, injecting current sequentially through a plurality of current probe pairs and measuring absolute or relative voltages with a plurality of voltage probes and voltage probe pairs across the surface of an article for each current flow condition. The device and method further provide for constructing a voltage profile across the surface of an article where disruptions in the voltage profile enable detection of the presence, location and orientation of flaws for flaw sizes as low as 20 um. The innovative probe array and method provide for rapidly detecting cracks, inclusions, defects and other flaws in conductive articles and can be adapted and deployed as either a two-dimensional, planar array or three-dimensional shaped array for a variety of sample configurations and surfaces. By utilizing a plurality of current and voltage probes in an array format, the device and method overcomes existing limitations of conventional linear probes and traditional methods by enabling flaw detection over larger areas in a single probe placement while achieving a high degree of sensitivity and precision in determining flaw location and orientation.

Growing community of inventors

Paxton, MA, United States of America

Reinhold Ludwig