Wireless orientation sensing using magnetoquasistatic fields and complex image theory

In this paper we report on a magnetoquasistatic orientation sensor that uses the magnetoquasistatic coupling between an electrically small emitting loop (magnetic dipole) and seven vertical receiving loops located on a circle of radius 12.19 m to determine the orientation of an object. By inverting the theoretical expression for the coupling between the emitter and receivers and using complex image theory, we are able to estimate the azimuthal orientation, φ, and inclination orientation, θ, of the emitter from the received fields. We achieved an average error of 5.93° and 10.66°, respectively, and a median error of 4.08° and 8.68°, respectively.