MagMonitor: vehicle speed estimation and vehicle classification through a magnetic sensor

Internet of Things (IoT) is playing an increasingly important role in Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) for real-time sensing and communication. In ITS, vehicle types, volume and speeds provide important information for road traffic management. However, the present methods for on-road traffic monitoring are lacking in providing cost-effective means to meet the demands. In this paper, we propose MagMonitor, a novel method for on-road traffic surveillance through a single small and easy-to-install magnetic sensor. The developed magnetic sensor system is wireless-connected, cost-effective, and environmental-friendly. First, a magnetic model of a moving vehicle is presented. The model employs multiple magnetic dipoles for modelling moving vehicle and varies depending on the on-road vehicle types. Through modelling of local magnetic field perturbations caused by moving vehicles, we extract the characteristics of magnetic waveforms for vehicle identification and speed estimation. The proposed model and estimation technique are validated with real field experimental data. Furthermore, we analyze and compare the performance of the proposed estimation technique with other speed estimation algorithms, which shows the superior accuracy of the proposed technique.