Fishbone architecture: an equivalent mechanical model of cochlea and its application to sensors and actuators

Summary form only given as follows. We are aiming to apply the sophisticated functions of the mammalian basilar membrane (BM) to highly efficient smart sensors and actuators. We proved previously (1996) that in a resonator array such as BM, the vibration energy is most easily transferred to the resonant point when input from the higher frequency side. Based on this theoretical background, we proposed an equivalent mechanical model named "fishbone architecture", and fabricated some devices of that structure. It has the same functions as those of BM including "energy flow" which was conventionally ignored in artificial realization of BM. Applications of the architecture to a sensor-artificial basilar membrane (BM) microphone-and an actuator-"giant impulse generator"-are proposed and examined by both FEA and fabrication to confirm their functions.