Wireless magnetic sensor node for vehicle detection using finite element simulation

Magnetic sensors have been proposed for vehicle detection because they are sensitive, small and more immune to environmental factors such as rain, wind, snow, dust or fog than sensing systems based on video cameras, ultrasound or infrared radiation. In this paper, we present a novel scheme for vehicle detection by using wireless magnetic sensor nodes. The simulation model of vehicle moving in the Earth´s magnetic field is proposed using a 2D transient linear motion with Ansoft Maxwell software. The simulation results show that the speed of vehicle can be detected by two magnetic sensors. The motion direction of vehicle can be detected by the B_x signal of a single magnetic sensor. Moreover, whether the parking position is empty or not can be determined by the B_x signal and the B_y signal. The simulation results will play a significant role for the magnetic sensor design and deployment.