Magnetic Navigation
Re-invented
Take corners at speed. Dock to the millimeter.
"Our new AGV can handle corners much better and faster than our previous AGV models."
Senior Automation Engineer
Toyota
- 160 mm
- Sensing width
- 10–50 mm
- Sensing height
- 2 tracks
- Position + angle each
- 1 mm · 1°
- Resolution
- 200 Hz
- Update rate
- CANopen
- RS232 · USB-C
This is the MTS160.
A guide sensor like no other.
It mounts under your vehicle and reads magnetic tape like any magnetic guide sensor. Then it does what none of the others do: it measures the angle of the tape as well as its position, follows two tracks at once through forks and merges, and detects point magnets, locating them in X and Y to half a millimeter. It also checks itself: built-in electromagnets periodically self-test every sensing element, and redundant sensors let it report a faulty measurement so the robot can safely return to a service area.
Build better, cheaper AGVs
Magnetic tape is the simplest and lowest-cost guidance there is: no map, no calibration, no computer, a roll of tape and one sensor. The MTS160 adds angle, so your vehicle steers ahead into curves instead of correcting behind them. Faster corners and tighter tracking, with forks, merges and markers handled in the sensor.
Own the last millimeter
SLAM gets a robot to within a few centimeters; chargers, conveyors and narrow aisles need better. Lay a short tape segment where it matters and the MTS160 tracks the vehicle to the millimeter through the tight passage and onto the final approach. Add one or two point magnets at the station for sub-millimeter positioning.
Predictive Steering
See the Curve, Stay on Track
The key is the MTS160's patented angle measurement. Standard magnetic line following sensors report only where the tape is across the sensor; the MTS160 also reports the tape's angle of incidence, to 1°, alongside its position to 1 mm. From those two numbers the controller can compute the track's curvature.
The robot can now tell the difference between drifting off track, which needs a small correction, and entering a curve, which needs sustained, proactive steering. The result is much tighter tracking at much higher speed, as the slow-motion comparison shows.
Read Predictive Steering ArticleSlow-motion sensor view through the same curve. The red cross is the center of the sensor’s front row, the target position for the tape: position-only steering lets the tape drift far from it before correcting, position + angle keeps it on the cross.
Point-Source Positioning
Millimeter-Precise Docking
Another Naviq exclusive is the detection along the X and Y axis of point-source disk magnets with sub-millimeter resolution. By installing one or two such magnets at precisely known locations, it is possible to evaluate the robot's position and orientation with very high accuracy.
This feature makes the sensor a valuable accessory for precise last-millimeter positioning to charging and docking stations on robots using laser or vision navigation.
Suitable for All Robotic Drive Trains
Differential, Steerable Wheel or Mecanum
The MTS160 guides differential-drive vehicles with casters, steerable traction wheels and omnidirectional Mecanum platforms alike. Naviq supports each configuration with a tailored steering algorithm and a working code example, so the first vehicle test is a matter of hours, not weeks.
Left/right motor and casters
Steerable traction wheel
Omnidirectional Mecanum wheels
Two Signal Wires to Connect to Anything
PLC, Embedded MCU, Linux SBC
The MTS160 magnetic track sensor needs only four wires: two for power and two for the data. A software selector switches the same pair between CANopen, RS232 and RS485, so it plugs straight into whatever runs your vehicle: an industrial PLC, an embedded microcontroller, or a Linux single-board computer running your ROS 2 stack.
(Almost) Free Location Markers
For a robot to operate autonomously and safely, knowing its location along the track is key. Markers made of magnetic tape with reversed polarity are strategically positioned to identify areas requiring speed adjustments, signal upcoming forks and merges, and indicate proximity to stop areas.
The sensor's ability to detect left, right, and coded combinations of markers provides a highly reliable and cost-effective localization solution. A unique merges and forks management algorithm makes changes of direction at forks smooth as silk.
Build This AGV. The Design Is Free.
One MTS160 and a sub-$200 MicroPLC do all the navigation
We publish the complete design of a low-cost magnetic-guided AGV. A single MTS160 provides guidance; an EQSP32 MicroPLC, under $200, runs predictive steering, the state machine, safety logic and MQTT telemetry over Wi-Fi; a dual-channel CAN motor controller drives the wheels. Routing is encoded on the floor with tape and markers, and the vehicle docks to a point magnet at the charger. No map, no localization software.
- Predictive steering with position and angle control
- Marker-based routing through forks and merges, point-magnet docking
- Obstacle sensor, LED status strips, run/stop button, battery monitoring
- MQTT telemetry and remote commands, VDA5050-ready
- Open-source firmware, wiring diagram and state machine
Plug and Run Web Utility
Setting up and monitoring the sensor has never been easier. Just plug it into your PC or smartphone's USB port; it will power on and automatically open the Naviq web-based utility. No installation needed!
Here, you can configure its operation mode, chart magnetic field strength in real time, track position and angle, and detect markers. You can also store and examine logs, and update to the latest firmware with ease.
Try the Online Utility
The One-Stop Shop for Magnetic Guidance
As leaders in magnetic guidance technology, we provide a complete solution, offering both the sensor and optimized magnetic guides to ensure accurate navigation for your robots.
At Naviq, your success is our top priority. We not only offer cutting-edge products but also provide expert engineering assistance to help you achieve the best results from our solutions.
Visit our eStore, experience Naviq, and see how much simpler, more accurate, and economical magnetic navigation can be.
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