ERI: Non-Intrusive Electrical Device Monitoring based on Magnetic Inductive Sensing

NSF Award Search · 01002526DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT · $200,000 · view on nsf.gov ↗

Abstract

Electrical motors power countless systems in modern life, from electric vehicles and industrial robotics to air conditioners and infusion pumps, and drive the movement behind a wide range of emerging technologies and applications. Given their ubiquity and importance, motor monitoring is vital for ensuring safety, maintaining energy efficiency, and detecting potential mechanical failure early. Yet accurate motor monitoring, especially when motors are enclosed, embedded, or physically inaccessible, remains a significant challenge. Laser-based systems are precise and accessible, yet they require attaching reflective markers, requiring direct physical access and causing system downtime. Camera-based systems eliminate the need for markers but still depend on a clear line of sight to the rotating components. These methods fail when rotating components are obscured, as in washing machines, liquid pumps, or medical devices. Vibration-based tachometers, which infer rotational speed from mechanical oscillations, require rigid coupling and struggle in noisy environments. To overcome these barriers, this project introduces a new type of handheld, non-intrusive tachometers based on magnetic inductive sensing. The system detects the low-frequency magnetic fields naturally emitted by motors during operation that can penetrate walls, metal enclosures, and other obstacles, allowing rotation speed estimation without altering the device under test or requiring visual access. This innovation ena

Key facts

NSF award ID
2502174
Awardee
University of California - Merced (CA)
SAM.gov UEI
FFM7VPAG8P92
PI
Hua Huang
Primary program
01002526DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
All programs
Sensor Technology, Antennas and Electromagnetics
Estimated total
$200,000
Funds obligated
$200,000
Transaction type
Standard Grant
Period
10/01/2025 → 09/30/2027