3D Magnetic field measurement

Magnetic field sensors are used to measure the position of machine parts and products with zero contact and zero wear – in a modern car, around 100 of such sensors are busy monitoring safety belt buckles and door locks, registering pedal positions, or are used for ABS, EPS, and engine control. They are cost-effective and robust, however, these conventional sensors generally measure only the magnitude of the magnetic field perpendicular to the chip surface. Good enough in many ways, magnetic field measurement remains imprecise and susceptible to interference. Michael Hackner, Dr.-Ing. Hans-Peter Hohe, and Dr.-Ing. Markus Stahl-Offergeld from the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS were not satisfied with these limitations. They wanted precise position measurement with the advantages of magnetic field sensors, and so they set about developing a 3D Hall sensor.

Further information: cordis.europa.eu