MEMS Flow Vector Sensor for Measuring Velocity and Direction of Wind

摘要

Wind information constitutes important probe data, because wind affects energy consumption and stability of a vehicle. We are developing a flow vector sensor (FV sensor) to measure the direction and the velocity of wind on the surface of a car. The size of the sensor is as small as 2 mm square and is fabricated with MEMS technology. In this paper, the measurement method, fundamental characteristics of the sensor, and results of a public road experiment are described. Then, applications of the FV sensor are proposed, such as a local (stand-alone) sensor for a car stability control system and as a probe sensor for the ITS.