MEMS fluxgate magnetometer for parallel robot application

An advanced real-time workspace monitoring for parallel kinematic machines including tasks like self-calibration and exception handling demands integrated sensors measuring the angular position of the robot joints. This work introduces a single-axis MEMS fluxgate magnetometer developed for the specified application. The sensor is composed of high aspect ratio helical coils with generating and sensing functions around an electrodeposited nickel-iron core featuring ferromagnetic behavior. The core is designed in racetrack geometry causing an excellent directional sensitivity of the sensor for measuring the magnetic orientation of permanent magnets which rotate on the joint shaft. This approach allows the real-time detection of the required joint angle and the simplified analytical solution of direct kinematics.