The next big thing?

Ok on a practical basis I am out for the count for a long while when it comes to detecting. But being the optimist I am that day will come again. So since I have time my question is what will be the Next big thing in detecting? Most of what I see is just refinements of technology that has been around for a long time. Better audio better separation, better iron discrimination, Marginaly better depth. Nothing earth shattering. Do you see anything coming in the next few years that will rock the boat of detecting? Or is the future just more refinement of what we already have?

Get out your crystal balls - what do you see in metal detectings future.

Bryanna - Nebraska

Current - New to me but not new MXT Pro and T2 SE2 - Previous Minelab Sovereign GT, Minelab Safari, Whites DFX, Whites Eagle Spectrum
Smile its a good for you!

There's definitely much more research information becoming available, for free, usually. Maps, historic maps, good aerial photography, LIDAR scans, old books digitised, more. So the ability to find sites with potential is becoming easier. And it's a fun part of the hobby, anyway, even if it ultimately doesn't lead anywhere.
You would hope that as electronics improves - lower power consumption for a given performance, more performance for every dollar, smaller size & weight, that machines should get lighter, with modest battery packs giving decent run-times, and at a cost that ought to be more reasonable. Computer-aided design should help the release of more models/variants at a quicker pace, with less cost.
So there's the possibility of an eTrac that's packaged like a Tek G2. And if Tek come out with a new Super-T2, they could also produce a waterproof/dive version of it, and a model that runs at twice the freq for nugget-hunting.

Pimento Wrote:
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> There's definitely much more research information
> becoming available, for free, usually. Maps,
> historic maps, good aerial photography, LIDAR
> scans, old books digitised, more. So the ability
> to find sites with potential is becoming easier.
> And it's a fun part of the hobby, anyway, even if
> it ultimately doesn't lead anywhere.
> You would hope that as electronics improves -
> lower power consumption for a given performance,
> more performance for every dollar, smaller size &
> weight, that machines should get lighter, with
> modest battery packs giving decent run-times, and
> at a cost that ought to be more reasonable.
> Computer-aided design should help the release of
> more models/variants at a quicker pace, with less
> cost.
> So there's the possibility of an eTrac that's
> packaged like a Tek G2. And if Tek come out with a
> new Super-T2, they could also produce a
> waterproof/dive version of it, and a model that
> runs at twice the freq for nugget-hunting.


Cool ideas and very doable given what we know. Do you see any new tech like discrimination and pulse?

Bryanna - Nebraska

Current - New to me but not new MXT Pro and T2 SE2 - Previous Minelab Sovereign GT, Minelab Safari, Whites DFX, Whites Eagle Spectrum
Smile its a good for you!

Here's my thoughts on PI and discrimination:
Detectors do two things, determine if there's something metallic in the ground. And try and determine the nature of it - iron/ non-iron, low / high conductor. Doing the latter requires more 'information': better quality data, more signal, less background clutter. This tends to mean a machine is able to find something deep, but in order to offer an ID on a target, it must be shallower.
I think this same principle applies to PI machines. Everyone seems to make the assumption that a discriminating PI will have "big PI depth". I have lower expectations, I think any discrimination will only be good up to modest depths, and the remaining deep targets will be un-identifiable.
How much better at deep target discrimination they will be, compared to a VLF, is hard to tell.
I've read of a U.K detectorist who has tried out a 'Pulse Devil' prototype, and he thought it was very good, but I don't recall whether it was on land or beach.

Detectors will probably improve, but as the population grows, rules and regulations will increase, more people buying detectors, more competition for the remaining detectable areas and treasures to be found, more parks off limits, more areas hunted out, maybe even permits for a "small fee".to detect. Its already illegal to dig anything older than 50 yrs in National Forrest. Maybe I'm a pessimist but l don't see a bright. Future for detecting. Calif has banned most recreational gold mining.

I agree with HOBO's prediction.

People are just so different these days...it seems like everybody sticks their nose in other people's business and if they don't like what the other person is doing, they can make them stop. I'm not sure why others are so quick to cater to these people.

A good example that happened recently with me. Monday this week, I wanted to go metal detect an old church built in 1900 but was disbanded in around 1905 or so. This church is on my wife's uncle's property. We called her uncle and let him know we would be over there and he said knock yourselves out. We head over there and I started hunting. The church is right next to a road with a couple other houses across from it. It wasn't long before one of those neighbors across the road was out there snooping around trying to see what we were doing. Then he got in his truck and drove down the road past the church real slow...and pulled in behind my truck. He turned around...came back by real slow. Then stopped to tell me that I was on HIS property and that I didn't have permission to be there and that I had to go. I said....well that's a funny thing, cause I just talked to the real owner not even an hour before and got the green light to come any time I wanted to, and on top of that, the owner is family. Turns out...this neighbor also metal detects and doesn't like other people hunting the church site. I couldn't believe he was trying to say he was the owner.

The thing is...more and more people are just like him. Except they are that way with public areas...they think they are exclusive owners to parks, school yards, etc, and that if anybody wants to do anything there, they must get their approval first.

I'm a fisher,tecknetics and tesoro fan and they could make their machines with rechargeable battery packs.
I'd like too see a F75/T2 type machine with dual freq. like the cz.
Old&new mixed.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/13/2015 02:12AM by supertraq.

While I agree with the comments about the increasing trend of anti-American, anal thinking that is driving the socialist movement exploding in our country and world, the focus here is MD tech.
Looking forward I see with (my crystal balls, i.e. eyes) increasing computing power resulting in fully automatic optimal adjustment of wireless coil modules that carry on a running verbal discussion about what it sees in ground and suggests dig or no dig recommendations as well as probabilities of target ID. This would be an app on our cell phone which would be wearable tech or bio implanted (completely hands free usage, of course). This will not happen for a long time of course, maybe 5 or 10 years.

Past(or)Tom
Using a Legend, a Deus 2, an Equinox 800, a Tarsacci MDT 8000, & a few others...
with my beloved, fading Corgi, Sadie

I sincerely think overall ergonomics will be the most noticeable changes we will see.

Expect to see more Li Pro battery utilization and a lower required number of AA battery requirements--more energy efficient detectors

Updateable detectors--I think we will see some. And I also believe if a manufacturer can deliver an update that indeed improves performance---folks would buy out of pocket

I also expect to see more proprietary coils on metal detectors--- much like the CTX

Remember the bottom line is pure profit and R&D monies

Also the detector market--- I feel for example take the Minelab Etrac, I think they are still selling pretty good even though the detector has been released a while, but why should minelab release their next flagship (if available)---if the Etrac is still selling well----plus they have stock inventories to consider

Wireless headphones--more offerings will come to light



Expect to see some manufacturers to extend their warranty periods on their flagship machines

Yeah? Well...for those with larger open concentric coils I'm gonna invent something similar to the Dyson ball so we can sweep with ease! The plans are in their infancy, don't expect this one to grow up anytime soon...

With all the computer knowledge we now have some kid is going to inprove the filtering without affecting the depth on a super deep machine. I dont see why all machines cant be light weight and more compact with fewer batteries. Once thats accomplished...... we will still have that HEAVY coil hanging on the other end of the stick. As a water hunter a PI with a disc switch where i could ID that a DEEP target is there ........ move a little sand and get reasonable ID that the targets ISNT iron would work for me. We can already get ...... what 8 to 10" with an Xcal in disc.......just fix that motion PP mode to get us more deep and id be happy hunting in PP mode and IDing the target in disc.

Dew

Mmmm, very interesting. I use to develop my own film in the darkroom, I even did cyanotype, then I progressed to the early instamatic, then digital, now my sons have phones with photographic power that would take me days in the lab. Yet I saw the digital camera progress to the 3 D digital cameras. This got me thinking. A 2D representation of what the detector has seen by dividing up the generated eddy current and translating the magnetic strength of return into an image? It might well be extremely basic, but a pull tab is always recognisable right? Even if it was simply in the shape of a circle. I know nothing about physics so I really was just playing with an idea.

The only way you could get a magnetic 'image' of, say, a pulltab, would be if you were very close to it. You would likely need a coil less than 2 inches across, within 2 inches of the tab.

Pimento Wrote:
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> The only way you could get a magnetic 'image' of,
> say, a pulltab, would be if you were very close to
> it. You would likely need a coil less than 2
> inches across, within 2 inches of the tab.


Why not base it on the principle of MRI scanning? Again I am no physicist but what was out of the question yesterday is taken for granted today....after all if archeologists and geologists can scan inside an artifact and create 3D model by piercing thick layers of rust to reveal the original shape, or even scan for structures deep inside rocks, how easy would it be to pierce the soil and gather the 'rough' shape of any object a few inches below the surface, it must be child's play surely?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/12/2015 01:53PM by Salt.

This line: "....the generated eddy current and translating the magnetic strength of return into an image?.."
made me assume you were talking about conventional metal detector technology.

I see some sort of ultra-sonic or sub-sonic imaging where you could actually see the gold ring below the rusty nail.

I also envision multi function coils, perhaps 2, 3 or even 4 in 1, likely transformer isolated circuits so the user could switch between coil types with one machine. Perhaps even a transformer type boost mode. Imagine a 13x21 DD with the ability to switch to 4" concentric on the fly.

Sometimes I wish I was 20 years younger... but then I read the news!

Steve A

Hobo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Detectors will probably improve, but as the
> population grows, rules and regulations will
> increase, more people buying detectors, more
> competition for the remaining detectable areas and
> treasures to be found, more parks off limits, more
> areas hunted out, maybe even permits for a "small
> fee".to detect. Its already illegal to dig
> anything older than 50 yrs in National Forrest.
> Maybe I'm a pessimist but l don't see a bright.
> Future for detecting. Calif has banned most
> recreational gold mining.

Agree also that rules,petitions,closers and so on not will,but is making it difficult to find any place to hunt.
If you own land or know someone will be the future so there will be little demand for metal detectors.
Nothing quite like a nosey hater,one person can control the masses with a petition.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/15/2015 01:50AM by supertraq.

The next big thing happened this year, but most people have not considered the implications yet. We all know the limitations with depth on VLF detectors. And we know the limitations on discrimination on PI detectors.

Now we have continuous wave zero voltage transmission (ZVT) technology from Minelab. [www.minelab.com]

Right now it is dig it all tech similar to pulse induction, but it is not pulse induction. It is continuous wave tech like VLF but far more powerful.

I am no electronics wizard but I see no reason why discrimination will not be the next thing added to this new technology. And that, my friends, will be a real game changer for all of us. The only question will be whether you can afford it.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/15/2015 03:36AM by Steve Herschbach.

I am keenly watching this ZVT technology.,.,.,., from initial release...... to improvements upon base-platform invention.

Would zvt be less prone to outside interference,no emi problems.

The GPZ 7000 is much less prone to EMI issues than the Minelab PI models, in large part because of the special DOD coil design. But like any extremely high gain circuit it is not immune.

Right now this is pretty much the realm of the hard core nugget hunters but I do think the situation is very similar to when we first saw ground balancing VLF detector appear. It was all metal at first, but the technology rapidly evolved beyond that once it was made operational.

Hobo, you are allowed to detect for "vintage coins" on most National Forest land. But yes, unfortunately, you are correct