A magnetic field based technique for 3D position tracking

This paper describes a technique that can be used for tracking garments in washing machines. The technique creates an asymmetrical magnetic field inside washing machines that can be detected by magnetic sensors embedded into the garments. The magnetic field, detected at regular intervals during a wash cycle, is stored and later compared with calibrated and simulated magnetic fields to determine the 3D position of the garment at any given instant of the wash cycle. Different arrangements for creating asymmetrical magnetic fields inside the washing machine are investigated by simulation and the results are presented. The feasibility of the proposed technique is tested on a scaled-down version of a washing machine with Hall sensors and the results are discussed.