Magnetic Field Vector Pointer

This is my first ever instructable project, as I am an amateur electronics hobbyist and a student, I have decided to make my project very simple and yet functional.

As the title suggests this project helps the user find out the direction and magnitude of the magnetic field at a point in space.

This project consists of hall sensor, which is placed in the 3 perpendicular x,y,z axis, each axis determines the strength and polarity of the magnetic field, the inputs from all the axis is combined to construct a vector which points at the direction of magnetic field.

hall sensor

AUDRINO uno

wires

magnet

• The sensor is designed for engineers to be used as a tool to design, test and implement devices which uses magnetic field

• This sensor can be used for the development of upcoming technology of Fusion Energy which is said to use powerful superconducting magnet, we can point out the direction of magnetic field and check for any anomalies

• Can be used to map earth’s geological magnetic field strengths at different places, for the geologist, topologist etc…

• Can determine earth’s magnetic field characteristics at a point which can help in navigation, accurate location finder, and it does not require to be connected to internet at all times.

• As this sensor deals with Magnetic field, usage not only limited to earth, it can be used to navigate in other planets as well.

• Can be used by the research institutions to test practical results against theoretical results

At zero magnetic field the potential difference between output and ground is 2.5V, if south pole is brought closer voltage ranges from 2.5V to 5V, if north pole is brought closer voltage ranges from 0V to 2.5V, given that maximum voltage tolerated by sensor is 5V.

Every voltage measurement corresponds to strength and direction of magnetic field.

I am demonstrating the project virtually in Tinker CAD.

The three transistor like devices in the image are Hall sensors X, Y and Z respectively from left to right. Each sensor is given 5V, and the center pin is the output which is connected to A0, A1 and A2 analogue inputs of Arduino.

Each sensor comes with a slider to adjust magnitude and direction of magnetic field, and it ranges from -150uT to +150uT. The values of all the three sensors can be adjusted to return values for X, Y, Z and resultant value.

The picture shown is of Y-axis Hall sensor, notice the change in Y value for change in slider.

As the slider moves towards the right, the magnetic field value tends to +150uT

And if it moves towards left the magnetic field value tends to -150uT

The functionality of slider is applicable to X and Z axis also, in the image above you can see different magnitudes and direction of magnetic field and also the resultant vector it makes.

▪ The Hall sensors available in the market are not very accurate, have very limited range of measurement, has very low current tolerances, output varies with temperature and this sensor is not easy to come across in the market.

▪ Although this sensor has limitations, it still has big potential as seen above in the previous chapters, research and development on this sensor could be done in the future as its potential is not well known yet. For now, the sensor is relatively bulky, smaller the sensor more accurate will be the output.

▪ If the sensor is small enough it can also be used in to measure magnetic field in microscopic mediums.

▪ If the sensor is good enough, more applications for this sensor could be discovered.

▪ Better software analysis in the future can also increase the functions, and accuracy of the device

▪ With better hardware this sensor need not be connected to a computer all the time, with further development this could become handheld or can be used in smartphones.

The Arduino code that I used in Tinker CAD did not require any extra library, Since Hall sensors are not available in Tinker CAD, I have used Temperature sensor to mimic Hall sensor, however the concept, design and code of project remains unchanged.

The program is such that it converts the voltage read by the sensor into magnetic field value, however using real hall effect sensor requires for a library to be installed.

you can download the AUDRINO library by clicking Hall effect sensor library .

If you find any error related to this project or if you can think of any improvements and additional features, please leave a comment below.

Constructive criticism is highly appreciated.