Group Leader

-----Mr. Tiernan is a Group Leader/Senior Scientist and the Director of Advanced Instrumentation at RMD. Since 1979 he has been involved in the development of sophisticated instrumentation systems, sensors, and imaging systems.

-----Mr. Tiernan was originally employed as Manager of the Instrumentation Department at RMD from 1983 until 1988 during which time he invented the RMD Surgical Probe. From 1988 until 2002 he held a number of positions at TPL Inc, Albuquerque NM, starting as a Senior Scientist, and later becoming the Manager, Instrumentation and Sensors Department. In 2002, Mr. Tiernan returned to RMD as Director of Instrumentation where he is now conducting research and development in MR sensors, magnetic imaging technology, MRI sensors, and instrumentation for biomagnetics.

-----During his employment at TPL, Mr. Tiernan founded and managed the Instrumentation and Sensors Department. He played a major role as Principal Investigator in a range of R&D efforts to generate innovative new technologies in the areas of magnetic field imaging of metallic components, digital x-ray imaging systems, and dielectric spectroscopy for NDE of composites.

-----As Principal Investigator at TPL, Mr. Tiernan played a major roles in the conduct and analysis of experiments for programs for both the NRC and BMDO for the development and characterization of large pixel arrays made with amorphous silicon. The arrays have applications in medical diagnostics, NDE, and biotechnology.

-----Mr. Tiernan has also been responsible for the development of instrumentation for commercial products including a device based on radiation detection techniques for automated analysis of bulk grain supplies. Under contracts with the NIH, instrumentation was developed for a number of nuclear medical applications. Two examples are: instrumentation for the analysis of cerebral blood flow in the intensive care situations and during surgical procedures in the operating room; a small, computerized, battery powered, hand-held probe for the location of radio labeled tumors during surgery.

-----Mr. Tiernan has been involved in the development of a number of radiation detection systems for industry including stack monitors for nuclear power plants, on-line controls for nuclear waste storage facilities and coal mining operations.

-----Mr. Tiernan has 2 patents granted and several pending for AMR and GMR sensors and their applications. His Division recently began selling a new product, partially developed with SBIR funding, for the inspection of integrated circuits based on the analysis of magnetic fields emanated by ICs.