A simple macro-scale artificial lateral line sensor for the detection of shed vortices

Underwater robot sensing is challenging due to the complex and noisy nature of the environment. The lateral line system in fish allows them to robustly sense their surroundings, even in turbid and turbulent environments, allowing them to perform tasks such as shoaling or foraging. Taking inspiration from the lateral line system in fish to design robot sensors could help to power underwater robots in inspection, exploration, or environmental monitoring tasks. Previous studies have designed systems that mimic both the design and the configuration of the lateral line and neuromasts, but at high cost or using complex procedures. Here, we present a simple, low cost, bio-inspired sensor, that can detect passing vortices shed from surrounding obstacles or upstream fish or robots. We demonstrate the importance of the design elements used, and show a minimum 20% reduction in residual error over sensors lacking these elements. Results were validated in reality using a prototype of the artificial lateral line sensor. These results mark an important step in providing alternate methods of control in underwater vehicles that are simultaneously inexpensive and simple to manufacture.