In cooperation with Tohoku University, Konica Minolta is pioneering devices for simple measurement of brain and heart functions based on TMR. A novel type of magnetic sensor which operates at room temperature records alpha waves of brain with high sensitivity and high resolution. Also, the cardiac magnetic field can be measured in real-time and applied tp the diagnosis of heart diseases such as arrhythmia and ischemic heart diseases. For ferromagnetic tunnel elements, nm size insulators are sandwiched between two ferromagnetic electrodes to provide a ferromagnetic tunnel element (MTJ). A large number of these elements are integrated in the form of an array and used as a highly sensitive magnetic sensor.

JST news release, November 29, 2017