Original title: High-resolution analog-to-digital converter-based data acquisition system for geoelectrical prospecting
Miguel López Jiménez, Alfredo Ghisays Ruiz, Paola Pacheco Martínez, Juan Álvarez Navarro · September 2026
Scientists scan underground structures by sending electrical currents into the soil and measuring the resulting voltages. This technique relies on detecting very small electrical shifts, which usually demands expensive and highly stable equipment. To solve this, researchers designed a low-cost, high-resolution data acquisition tool built around a 24-bit converter that turns analog signals into digital data. The device measures injected currents alongside subterranean voltages. It also automatically switches electrical polarity. Reversing the direction of the current separates natural underground voltages, called spontaneous potential, from injected signals, which clarifies the data. Laboratory tests verified that the system delivers stable, repeatable performance and can capture tiny signals, making it an effective instrument for mapping the subsurface.
Imagine trying to check if the water in a swimming pool is warmer at one end. Your basic pool thermometer only shows whole degrees, so you miss small differences. Now you use a digital thermometer that reads to a thousandth of a degree, and you stir the water to cancel out surface temperature variations. In this paper, the system uses such a precise measurement chip to detect tiny voltage changes underground, and automatically reverses the current direction to remove unwanted natural voltages.
Geoelectrical surveys help locate groundwater, minerals, and archaeological features. This system makes such surveys more affordable without sacrificing precision, allowing wider adoption in resource exploration and environmental monitoring.
The abstract reports only laboratory validation with precision resistors and comparison to a commercial meter. It does not discuss field testing under real subsurface conditions, such as varying soil moisture, temperature, or electrode contact resistance. The system's performance in noisy field environments and its power consumption for long-term deployments are not addressed.
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High-resolution analog-to-digital converter-based data acquisition system for geoelectrical prospecting — Miguel López Jiménez, Alfredo Ghisays Ruiz, Paola Pacheco Martínez et al. — HardwareX — doi:10.1016/j.ohx.2026.e00837
Abstract licence: CC BY
Explanation generated by Synthesis from the abstract — it is not the original paper.