Research

Integrated systems combining hardware, pulse sequences, and signal processing techniques for low field NMR and MRI. Magnetic resonance, the technology behind an MRI scan, is a powerful tool for medical diagnostics and other non-invasive sensing applications.

However, its utility and availability has been traditionally limited by the need for large, expensive instrumentation like the hospital MRI machines familiar to most people. Research includes expanding the applicability of magnetic resonance by designing small, low cost
dedicated scanners. Current scanners are big for a reason: the size and shape are necessary to generate the carefully controlled magnetic fields needed for an MRI scan.

Development of new optimization techniques which allow the same type of magnetic fields to be created from much more compact instruments is underway. Using these ideas along with new signal processing and control techniques, a family of small, low cost MRI equipment is being designed and built, with applications in nondestructive testing for both healthcare and material science.

Recent Journal Articles

Marble, A. E., LaPlante, G., Mastikhin, I. V., and Balcom, B. J. (2008) Magnetic resonance detection of water in composite sandwich structures. NDT & E International, July 2009.

Cano-Barrita, P. F. J, Marble, A. E., Balcom, B. J., Garcia, J. C., Mastikhin, I. V., Thomas, M. D., and Bremner, T. W. (2008) Embedded NMR sensors to monitor evaporable water loss caused by hydration and drying in ordinary Portland cement mortar. Cement and Concrete Research, April, 2009.

Marble, A. E. (2008) Strong, stray static magnetic fields. IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, 44: 576-580.

Veliyulin, E., Mastikhin, I. V., Marble, A. E. and Balcom, B. J. (2008) Rapid determination of the fat content in packaged dairy products by unilateral NMR, Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 88:2563-2567.

Zhang, Z., Marble, A. E., MacMillan, B., Promislow, K., Martin, J., Wang, H., and Balcom, B. J., (2008) Spatial and temporal mapping of water content across Nafion membranes under wetting and drying conditions, Journal of Magnetic Resonance, 194:245-253

Marble, A. E. Mastikhin, I. V., Colpitts, B, G., and Balcom, B. J., (2007)  A compact permanent magnet array with a remote homogeneous field. Journal of Magnetic Resonance, 186: 100-104.

Marble, A. E. Mastikhin, I. V., Colpitts, B, G., and Balcom, B. J., (2007)  Designing static fields for unilateral magnetic resonance with the scalar potential approach. IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, 43: 1903-1911.

Patents

United States Patent 7,319,326, Marble, A. E., Mastikhin, I. V., Colpitts, B. G., and Balcom, B. J., Sensor for unilateral nuclear magnetic resonance and method for making same

United States patent application number 20090066331, Marble, A. E., Young, J. J., Mastikhin, I. V., Colpitts, B. G., and Balcom, B. J. Probe, system and method suitable for unilateral nuclear magnetic resonance

International patent application PCT/CA2007/002115, Marble, A. E., Mastikhin, I. V., Colpitts, B. G., and Balcom, B. J., Compact permanent magnet array suitable for producing a remote magnetic field and process suitable for producing the same.