Smart phone metal detector ??

[Blak bart]

So...why hasn't this happened yet ?? And how easy could this be ?

What if you had a coil on a shaft, that had a docking port for your smartphone !! You could down load an app that had the proper software to decipher your coil readings, and then use your smart phone as the control pod !! Im pretty sure (not certain) that the i phone or android would have 10 times the computing power of a metaldetector control pod, and probably be able to record video, and take pictures while you detected. The ramifications of something like this are vast....this would upend the entire metaldetecting industry, and change the hobby forever. This has to be possible in today's day and age....what do you guys think ?

 

[Blak bart]

Geeez .... my head spins with possibilities if this ever happens!! 🤔🤔🤔

 

[oldmxrat]

Dang Bart, that seems like a no brainer to me!

 

[oldmxrat]

Especially with the Deus, as the detector is actually in the coil. Then you could use any bluetooth headphones/earbuds you want, providing the latency is low enough.

 

[Blak bart]

Im not an engineer, but yeah....this seems plausible.....could be the end of metaldetecting companies 🤔 or maybe something great for them...I dont know, but this seems like the logical progression of the machine?

 

[Blak bart]

Dang Bart, that seems like a no brainer to me!

Ya know this has to be possible, and there may be legal stuff keeping it from happening....if i can listen to a speaker controlled by my phone, then I should in theory be able to listen to my coil through my phone....right..?!?

 

[Blak bart]

Turn the phone on speaker and listen to the coil sing its sweet music 🎶 😅🤣

 

[Blak bart]

Should be able to film video straight down your shaft directly at the coil at the same time ?!

 

[Tesorodeoro]

Should be able to film video straight down your shaft directly at the coil at the same time ?!

Not to throw a wet towel on this, but I cannot think of a single reason I would want a video of the ground sliding left and right of my coil! I also wouldn’t want my phone constantly being set down in the dust/mud/brush. My dirty fingers rubbed all over the screen.

 

[Blak bart]

Not to throw a wet towel on this, but I cannot think of a single reason I would want a video of the ground sliding left and right of my coil! I also wouldn’t want my phone constantly being set down in the dust/mud/brush. My dirty fingers rubbed all over the screen.

Well to be honest many videos are of the coil swinging over a target, and then digging the hole. And almost everyone at this point has a shockproof, watertight cover for there phone. Mine is waterproof deeper than my mine lab detector is rated for. I only took a picture of an old phone that is out of the case for reference. And most people have multiple old phones laying around that could be repurposed. Obviously the one in .y picture could be put back in its protective cover. I often rinse my phone off to clean it. But you do have a point...without a cover your phone can be damaged .... even without being used as a control pod.

 

[DizzyDigger]

Bart...may I play "Devil's Advocate" here?

A cell phone is considered as a "intentional radiator" of RF signals, and the
detector is also an intentional radiator..there could be serious compatibility
issues.

Also, you'd need a separate power supply for the detector, as a cell phone certainly
doesn't have sufficient battery capacity to transmit a signal through the coil.

In truth, what you describe is already on the market.

 

[Blak bart]

Bart...may I play "Devil's Advocate" here?

A cell phone is considered as a "intentional radiator" of RF signals, and the
detector is also an intentional radiator..there could be serious compatibility
issues.

Also, you'd need a separate power supply for the detector, as a cell phone certainly
doesn't have sufficient battery capacity to transmit a signal through the coil.

In truth, what you describe is already on the market.

Yeah...thats the stuff I dont know...just seems like it could be used with an app.

 

[Blak bart]

Bart...may I play "Devil's Advocate" here?

A cell phone is considered as a "intentional radiator" of RF signals, and the
detector is also an intentional radiator..there could be serious compatibility
issues.

Also, you'd need a separate power supply for the detector, as a cell phone certainly
doesn't have sufficient battery capacity to transmit a signal through the coil.

In truth, what you describe is already on the market.

The video seems to be what im talking about....the phone can be used to receive signals as well as transmitt/radiate?? Right ??

 

[Blak bart]

Not to throw a wet towel on this, but I cannot think of a single reason I would want a video of the ground sliding left and right of my coil! I also wouldn’t want my phone constantly being set down in the dust/mud/brush. My dirty fingers rubbed all over the screen.

This seems to be the typical video ?? Coil sliding left and right hole with target. Not my choice either, but seems to be the norm.

 

[RustyGold]

Or maybe an update to the remote giving it phone capabilities.

 

[Blak bart]

@Tesorodeoro ....you were right...video will make you sea sick after 5 seconds !! I did the experiment to see what it would look like....pictures though are very nice by panning in or out.

This really was an after thought .... it just so happens the camera is also looking at the coil for pictures....I would imagine you could use your flash light too. Among many other features including maps and GPS...lots of possibilities with a phones computing power and features?🤔

 

[pepperj]

Go out detecting-nobody really knows where you go unless seen or you post photo and story.

Phones are getting so easy to track in today's world.

Where's Bart?
He's detecting on X sandbar.
Thanks bud.😊

I'll just stick to the old school of a chip in a stick.

 

[Blak bart]

Well...they could be tracking me now if its in my pocket? Unless I use the Faraday lead bag for the phone. I like to have the phone incase of emergency so most of the time i have it with me. Its finding the gold once your there anyway, and thats the real challenge. So far its mainly a negative reaction to something like this....so maybe this isn't the future. But dont you use a deus .... essentially that is a blue tooth coil ?? If it was a discoverable device for your phone, you could access the signal with your phone, and keep it in your pocket on vibrate....its the software application for the phone thats needed!! Or it could be audible, or visual, or all 3....the deus control pod could be swapped out for a smart phone....and yes it could be in a waterproof case if connected to the shaft/coil. But all reactions have been negative so maybe stupid idea 💡

 

[Tesorodeoro]

Well to be honest many videos are of the coil swinging over a target, and then digging the hole. And almost everyone at this point has a shockproof, watertight cover for there phone. Mine is waterproof deeper than my mine lab detector is rated for. I only took a picture of an old phone that is out of the case for reference. And most people have multiple old phones laying around that could be repurposed. Obviously the one in .y picture could be put back in its protective cover. I often rinse my phone off to clean it. But you do have a point...without a cover your phone can be damaged .... even without being used as a control pod.

I still cannot think of a reason I would want a video of me digging a hole? I COULD see how a YouTuber might want that.

Slow motion play back of a pick nicking the edge of a rare Gold coin.

 

[Tesorodeoro]

Well...they could be tracking me now if its in my pocket? Unless I use the Faraday lead bag for the phone. I like to have the phone incase of emergency so most of the time i have it with me. Its finding the gold once your there anyway, and thats the real challenge. So far its mainly a negative reaction to something like this....so maybe this isn't the future. But dont you use a deus .... essentially that is a blue tooth coil ?? If it was a discoverable device for your phone, you could access the signal with your phone, and keep it in your pocket on vibrate....its the software application for the phone thats needed!! Or it could be audible, or visual, or all 3....the deus control pod could be swapped out for a smart phone....and yes it could be in a waterproof case if connected to the shaft/coil. But all reactions have been negative so maybe stupid idea 💡

No idea is stupid. I’d like the ability to strap my phone into a case that is strapped on the shaft and using the inertial sensors get a real time coverage map showing where I may have missed some spots.

I think you will see these types of features built into detectors before people will move to the interface being a smart phone. My detector has an LED light built in that shines down on the coil. I thought that was pretty neat.