Marine Center for Development of Biomimetic Underwater Sensors

This Marine Center will focus on developing a new generation of biomimetic pressure and flow sensors for underwater use, beginning with a velocity sensor that emulates the outstanding sensitivity of the whiskers of harbor seals. The hydrodynamic mechanisms and the structure of the whiskers that seals use to “see” and navigate in dark waters has not been explained or exploited. Having studied these structures, we will design velocity sensors able to detect minute flow disturbances. These will then be combined with MEMS (Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems) based pressure sensors. These new sensors will allow underwater robots and vessels to detect obstacles at very low power consumption with the sensitivity of a live animal.

Objectives: Establish a Marine Center to develop a new generation of biomimetically-inspired pressure and flow sensors suitable for underwater use. This Center will bring together experts in hydrodynamics, MEMS manufacturing, materials science, design, and fish biology, who can exploit recent advances in biomimetics, hence offering enticing possibilities for the development of sensors matching the outstanding performance of live animals. The first major development is a velocity sensor emulating the outstanding sensitivity of the vibrissae (whiskers) of harbor seals. Subsequently, the velocity sensors will be combined with MEMS based pressure sensors to provide pressure and velocity capability. These new sensors will provide unprecedented capabilities to underwater vehicles and surface crafts allowing detection of obstacles at very low power consumption and identification of flow patterns with extreme sensitivity.

Methodology: The overall approach will involve hydrodynamic studies based on lab experiments and computer simulations, MEMS manufacturing, algorithm development, sensor construction, and integration into a pressure velocity sensor system. In particular, for the seal whisker studies we will first employ a combined experimental-simulation approach to analyze the vortex wake behind the distinctive seal whisker geometry as well as the resulting forces on the whisker. Such analysis will help us to determine which mechanisms are employed by seals, and will lead to the implementation of bio-mimetic sensors for use in autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and in other ocean applications in general.

Rationale: The proposed work is based on a new concept inspired by the seals and their impressive ability to navigate by detecting even minute flow disturbances. The fundamental hydrodynamic mechanism behind this phenomenon has not been understood yet and the intriguing geometry of their vibrissae has not been explained or exploited. The proposed work will contribute towards these unresolved fundamental issues and lead to the design and fabrication of integrated MEMS based pressure and velocity sensors.