An Optical Inclinometer Exploiting Magnetic Fluids

Among sensors using magnetic fluids, inclinometers are seriously addressed by the scientific community. This paper deals with an optical inclinometer exploiting a ferrofluid (FF) mass, a magnetic shaping system and an InfraRed (IR) readout strategy. A dedicated paradigm is also proposed, with the aim of defining a calibration model relating the inclinometer output quantity to the imposed tilt. The working range of the inclinometer is [−15°–15°]; the sensor accuracy and resolution are 0.61° and 0.005°, respectively. Moreover, the device shows a span-to-resolution ratio of 6 × 103.