Proximity Detection and Ranging Using a Modified Fluorescent Lamp for Security Applications

This paper describes a proximity detection system that uses a fluorescent lamp as a capacitive sensor. Because of the ubiquity of fluorescent lamps in commercial buildings, public spaces, and households, the potential applications of a capacitive sensor of this nature are numerous. These applications include people counting, real-time people tracking and detection of anomalous objects on a person for security verification. Modeling simulations and calculations of the electric fields under the lamp in the presence of a person as well as circuitry and electrode setups, which can be used to obtain a practical detection range are presented. Real-time tracking data and outputs collected from a working fluorescent lamp sensor are also presented