This report presents a novel approach to localising an untethered magnetic robot (UMR) which is externally actuated via magnetic torques produced by a rotating permanent magnet (RPM). By analysing the disturbance torque exerted by the UMR on the RPM, the magnetic coupling between the two can be determined and used to estimate the position of the UMR. The mathematical principles underlying this magnetic coupling, as well as the implementation of filtering techniques to improve positional accuracy, are outlined.
Experimental results display the effectiveness of using magnetic coupling between UMR and RPM for position estimation. Achieving estimation deviations as accurate as up to ± 2 mm for actual distances of 80 and 100 mm ± 3 mm. Demonstrating the suitability for magnetic coupling localisation as a position estimator when traditional localisation methods fail.