Imaging low-conductivity materials in Magnetic Induction Tomography - LCOMIT

Magnetic induction tomography (MIT) is a technique for imaging the electrical conductivity in a cross-section of an object. MIT applies a magnetic field from a current-carrying coil to induce eddy currents in the object which are then sensed by an array of other coils. From these signals, an image of conductivity is reconstructed. This proposal brings together two of the world's leading groups in MIT, from Manchester and South Wales, with a programme designed to address the fundamental theoretical and practical problems of making MIT operate reliably with low-conductivity materials (< 10 S/m). The success of this research could produce a major step forward in the application of MIT, with new opportunities in imaging biological tissues and industrial processes. Three specific application areas will be researched: one biomedical, for imaging acute cerebral stroke, one in glass production, for monitoring process parameters to ensure product quality, and one in the oil industry for imaging the process water in an oil/gas pipeline.