Enhanced Far Field Detection of Permanent Magnets with Magnetic Sensors

In this work a method to enhance and measure weak magnetic fields using a field focusing device, made of a highly permeable material combined with an ordinary magnetic field sensor, is analyzed. The advantage of such a device is then gauged in the context of long distance measurement with permanent magnets. The work is supported by FEM simulations and the results are confirmed in a high precision experiment, featuring a robot manipulator combined with a sophisticated sensor readout suit. The main targets of the simulations are to identify optimal geometries, dimensions and materials for focusing the magnetic fields at a sensing point, while the main targets of the experimental part are to test the proposed concept, to validate the simulations and to perform a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the performance of the field focusing device.