Obscured feature detector with advanced trace properties

An obscured feature detector comprising:

• a plurality of sensor plates, each having a capacitance that varies based on:
• (a) the proximity of the sensor plates to one or more surrounding objects, and (b) the dielectric constant(s) of the surrounding object(s);
• a sensing circuit coupled to the sensor plates by a plurality of electrically conductive paths, the sensing circuit being configured to measure the capacitances of the sensor plates;
• and
• wherein the electrically conductive paths have a length defined by the distance along the paths between the sensor plates and the sensing circuit, and two or more of the electrically conductive path lengths are substantially the same.

A method of using an obscured feature detector having a plurality of sensor plates to determine the location of an obscured feature behind a surface, the method comprising:

• placing the obscured feature detector on the surface;
• transmitting a value from the plurality of sensor plates along a plurality of electrically conductive paths to a sensor circuit, wherein the length of at least two of the conductive paths is substantially equal;
• measuring capacitance readings sensed in a plurality of regions, each region corresponding to an area surrounding one or more of the sensor plates and represented by the value transmitted from the plurality of sensor plates;
• and
• identifying, based on the capacitance readings, a location of the obscured feature behind the surface.