Study of Capacitive Tilt Sensor with Metallic Ball

Abstract

In this paper, a new, simple capacitive tilt sensor with a metallic ball is proposed. The proposed tilt sensor has only two electrodes and a metallic ball, and this design assists in managing the inherent contact problem in measuring tilt angles. Capacitive sensing, compared with other types of tilt sensor, has many advantages such as simplicity, noncontact measurement, long-throw linear displacement, and sub-micron plate spacing. Its design and fabrication process are significantly simpler than previous types of tilt sensors. The dimensions of the prototype tilt sensor are 20 mm x 20 mm, and the diameter of the polystyrene tube is 5 mm with a tube thickness of 0.15 mm. An analytical study of the prototype capacitive tilt sensor was undertaken, and the experimental results demonstrate the relationship between the tilt angles and measured capacitances compared with the analytical study.