Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 28, 2026
11:26
Towards Biomimicking Wood: Fabricated Free-standing Films of Nanocellulose, Lignin, and a Synthetic Polycation
Published on: June 17, 2014
15.9K
A biomimetic accelerometer inspired by the cricket's clavate hair
H Droogendijk1, M J de Boer2, R G P Sanders2
1MESA Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands h.droogendijk@utwente.nl.
Journal of the Royal Society, Interface
|June 13, 2014
Summary
Researchers developed a biomimetic accelerometer inspired by cricket clavate hairs. This microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device accurately senses acceleration with a low threshold and minimal airflow interference.
Area of Science:
- Biomimetics
- MEMS technology
- Sensor development
Background:
- Crickets utilize clavate hairs to detect gravitational acceleration for orientation.
- This biological mechanism provides inspiration for novel sensor designs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and fabricate a one-axis biomimetic accelerometer inspired by cricket clavate hairs.
- To analyze and optimize the accelerometer's design for reduced flow-induced noise.
- To characterize the performance of the fabricated microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device.
Main Methods:
- Surface micromachining and SU-8 lithography were employed for fabrication.
- An analytical model was developed to guide the accelerometer's design.
- Experimental measurements were conducted to evaluate performance metrics.
Main Results:
- The MEMS hair-based accelerometer achieved a resonance frequency of 320 Hz.
- A detection threshold of 0.10 ms(-2) and a dynamic range exceeding 35 dB were recorded.
- The device demonstrated directional response to acceleration and low responsivity to airflow.
Conclusions:
- The biomimetic accelerometer successfully mimics the function of cricket clavate hairs.
- The developed sensor offers high sensitivity and directional detection with environmental noise resilience.
- Further research can explore noise level limitations and sensor adaptation capabilities.
Related Concept Videos
01:15Equilibrium and Balance
6.1K
The inner ear assumes dual functionalities of auditory perception and equilibrium maintenance. The vestibule is the organ responsible for balance. This organ contains mechanoreceptors, specifically hair cells, endowed with stereocilia, which aid in deciphering information regarding the position and motion of our heads. Two intrinsic components, the utricle and saccule, help perceive head position, while the semicircular canals track head movement. Neurological messages initiated in the...
6.1K
01:16Accessory Structures of the Skin: Hair and Hair Follicles
5.1K
Hair and hair follicles are integral components of the integumentary system. Hair is a filamentous structure composed mainly of a protein called keratin. It is found on the surface of the skin throughout the body, except for areas such as the palms of the hands and soles of the feet.
Hair is a keratinous filament growing out of the epidermis. It is primarily made of dead, keratinized cells. Hair strands originate at the epidermal penetration called the hair follicle. The hair shaft is the part...
Hair is a keratinous filament growing out of the epidermis. It is primarily made of dead, keratinized cells. Hair strands originate at the epidermal penetration called the hair follicle. The hair shaft is the part...
5.1K
01:10Relative Motion Analysis - Acceleration
1.1K
A slider-crank mechanism converts rotational motion from the crank into linear motion of the slider or vice versa. This mechanism consists of three main parts: the crank, the connecting rod, and the slider. The movement of the slider-crank is an example of general plane motion as the fluctuating angle between the crank and the connecting rod. Consider a segment AB where point A is at the end of the slider and point B is on the diametrically opposite end to point A, on a crack. The variance in...
1.1K
01:22Hair Cells
36.1K
Hair cells are the sensory receptors of the auditory system—they transduce mechanical sound waves into electrical energy that the nervous system can understand. Hair cells are located in the organ of Corti within the cochlea of the inner ear, between the basilar and tectorial membranes. The actual sensory receptors are called inner hair cells. The outer hair cells serve other functions, such as sound amplification in the cochlea, and are not discussed in detail here.
36.1K
01:21Simple Harmonic Motion
11.5K
Simple harmonic motion is the name given to oscillatory motion for a system where the net force can be described by Hooke's law. If the net force can be described by Hooke's law and there is no damping (by friction or other non-conservative forces), then a simple harmonic oscillator will oscillate with equal displacement on either side of the equilibrium position. To derive an equation for period and frequency, the equation of motion is used. The period of a simple harmonic oscillator is given...
11.5K
01:05Mechanism of Ciliary Motion
4.9K
The ciliary structures were first seen in 1647 by Antonie Leeuwenhoek while observing the protozoans. In lower organisms, these appendages are responsible for cell movement, while in higher organisms, these appendages help in the movement of the extracellular fluids within the body cavities.
The cilia are made up of microtubules in a 9+2 arrangement, with nine microtubule doublet ring bundles, surrounding a pair of central singlet microtubule bundles. The doublet microtubule bundles are...
The cilia are made up of microtubules in a 9+2 arrangement, with nine microtubule doublet ring bundles, surrounding a pair of central singlet microtubule bundles. The doublet microtubule bundles are...
4.9K