Sensor for sensing an electric field

A sensor for sensing an electric field comprising:

• a sensor probe for producing electrical signals representative of an electric field and being movable to be in an electric field, said sensor probe including:
• a first pair of electrically conductive rectangular electrodes spaced apart along a first axis;
• a second pair of electrically conductive rectangular electrodes spaced apart along a second axis that is orthogonal to the first axis;
• and
• a third pair of electrically conductive rectangular electrodes spaced apart along a third axis that is orthogonal to the first and second axes;
• a rigid dielectric support structure having six faces for locating said first, second and third pairs of electrically conductive rectangular electrodes for defining a substantially cubical arrangement of electrodes;
• and
• at least three high-input impedance amplifiers having respective inputs coupled to said first, second and third pairs of electrically conductive rectangular electrodes for receiving signals therefrom responsive to the electric field.

A sensor for sensing an electric field comprising:

• a sensor probe having at least one pair of spaced apart electrically conductive electrodes, said sensor probe being movable to be in an electric field;
• a source of location information representative of the location of said sensor probe;
• a processor for receiving signals from the at least one pair of electrodes of said sensor probe and from said source of location information for producing a signal responsive to the received signals and to the location information, wherein the signal produced by said processor is representative of the electric field;
• said sensor further comprising:
• an interface responsive to the signal produced by said processor for providing in a form perceivable by a human an indication of the electric field;
• or
• a storage device for storing the signal produced by said processor;
• or
• an interface responsive to the signal produced by said processor for providing in a form perceivable by a human an indication of the electric field and a storage device for storing the signal produced by said processor.

A sensor for sensing an electric field comprising:

• a sensor probe for producing electrical signals representative of an electric field and being movable to be in an electric field, said sensor probe including:
• a first pair of electrically conductive electrodes spaced apart along a first axis;
• a second pair of electrically conductive electrodes spaced apart along a second axis that is orthogonal to the first axis;
• and
• a third pair of electrically conductive electrodes spaced apart for defining a space therebetween, wherein said first and second pairs of electrically conductive electrodes are disposed in the space between said third pair of electrically conductive electrodes;
• at least two high-input impedance amplifiers having respective inputs coupled respectively to said first and second pairs of electrically conductive electrodes for receiving signals therefrom responsive to the electric field;
• and
• a switch for selectively electrically connecting said third pair of electrically conductive electrodes together, or for selectively electrically connecting said third pair of electrically conductive electrodes to a common reference, or for selectively electrically connecting said third pair of electrically conductive electrodes together and to a common reference.