A novel mechanical cochlea "Fishbone" with dual sensor/actuator characteristics

Through detailed investigation of the sophisticated functions of the mammalian cochlea, we are aiming to apply its resonator array structure to efficient and smart sensors and actuators. We outline our study on an equivalent mechanical model of the cochlea named the "fishbone structure," which can be fabricated from a thin Si plate alone. Special emphasis is placed on applications of the structure to both sensors ("artificial cochlea microphone") and actuators ("giant impulse generator"). The applicability of the "fishbone structure" to both sensors and actuators is an outcome of the passive and loss-free property of it, which is originated from the transmission line model of the cochlea. We fabricated the structure by the Si micro-machining process and examined the soundness of the approach first by finite-element analysis and secondly by experiments using the fabricated devices.