Title :
Live demonstration: The self-tuned regenerative electromechanical parametric amplifier
Author :
Tapson, Jonathan ; Hamilton, Tara Julia ; Van Schaik, Andrè
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Electr. Eng., Univ. of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
fDate :
May 30 2010-June 2 2010
Abstract :
We have designed, constructed and tested an electromechanical acoustic sensor as a conceptual model for the active process in the mammalian cochlea. The sensor is based on a mechanical resonator - a stretched latex band - which is tonically (tensionally) modulated by an electromechanical actuator. A feedback circuit senses the motion of the resonator, and modulates its tension at twice the frequency of its motion. An amplifier is thereby formed, which is self-tuned to the circuit´s resonance, and which produces gain by regeneration and degenerate parametric pumping. The system is simple in structure; physiologically plausible as a model for the basilar membrane and associated hair cells; and reproduces several well-known features of the cochlear amplifier.
Keywords :
acoustic parametric devices; bioMEMS; circuit feedback; micromechanical resonators; parametric amplifiers; electromechanical acoustic sensor; electromechanical actuator; feedback circuit; latex band; mammalian cochlea; mechanical resonator; parametric pumping; self-tuned regenerative electromechanical parametric amplifier; Acoustic sensors; Acoustic testing; Actuators; Circuit testing; Electromechanical sensors; Feedback circuits; Frequency; Mechanical sensors; RLC circuits; Resonance;
Conference_Titel :
Circuits and Systems (ISCAS), Proceedings of 2010 IEEE International Symposium on
Conference_Location :
Paris
Print_ISBN :
978-1-4244-5308-5
Electronic_ISBN :
978-1-4244-5309-2
DOI :
10.1109/ISCAS.2010.5537304
