Developing Active Artificial Hair Cell Sensors Inspired by the Cochlear Amplifier

受耳蜗放大器的启发，开发主动人工毛细胞传感器

• 批准号: 1604360
• 负责人: Pablo Tarazaga
• 金额: $ 33.37万
• 依托单位: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2016
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2016-06-01 至 2020-03-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1604360&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Developing; Active; Artificial; Hair; Cell

PI: Tarazaga, Pablo Proposal No: 1604360 The proposed research will develop a new approach for amplification of sound with potential applications to hearing impaired. The device will sense incident sound and amplify it in a new way such that lower threshold is detected, sharper frequency sensitivity and superior dynamic range are also expected. The goal of proposed research program is to develop piezoelectric-based, active artificial hair cells (AHCs) capable of mimicking the important aspects of nonlinear cochlear amplifier. They will possess a lower threshold of detection, sharper frequency sensitivity, and larger dynamic range than a traditional, passive transducer. The proposed work will examine a variety of feedback control schemes to achieve a cochlea-like response from piezoelectric-based, cantilever beam sensors. The work will explore using self-sensing methods to transition from lab experiments to practical sensors. Scalability analysis is expected to guide the design and fabrication of miniaturized active AHCs at scales suitable for use in practical applications. An array of active sensing elements for transducing multiple frequency signals will be built and tested. These sensors could also serve as a tool for auditory researchers to gain insight into a healthy cochlea. While the importance and general behavior of the cochlear amplifier is well established, there are unanswered questions over how this amplification arises. Various control laws can be tested on artificial hair cells to test different theories and develop insights into the functioning of biological cochlea. It is anticipated that this work will help establish improved cochlear implants, thereby improving the quality of life of over 30 million Americans who suffer from permanent hearing loss. Potentially the active artificial hair cells could lead to new cochlear prosthesis and restore hearing function. This research program will offer an excellent learning and education for underrepresented undergraduate students.

PI：Tarazaga，Pablo 提案编号：1604360 拟议的研究将开发一种新的声音放大方法，可能应用于听力受损的情况。 该设备将感应入射声音并以新的方式对其进行放大，从而检测到更低的阈值、更清晰的频率灵敏度和卓越的动态范围。 拟议研究计划的目标是开发基于压电的主动人工毛细胞（AHC），能够模仿非线性耳蜗放大器的重要方面。与传统的无源传感器相比，它们具有更低的检测阈值、更高的频率灵敏度和更大的动态范围。拟议的工作将检查各种反馈控制方案，以通过基于压电的悬臂梁传感器实现类似耳蜗的响应。这项工作将探索使用自感知方法从实验室实验过渡到实用传感器。可扩展性分析有望指导适合实际应用的小型化有源 AHC 的设计和制造。将建造并测试用于转换多个频率信号的有源传感元件阵列。这些传感器还可以作为听觉研究人员深入了解健康耳蜗的工具。虽然耳蜗放大器的重要性和一般行为已得到充分证实，但这种放大是如何产生的仍存在未解答的问题。可以在人造毛细胞上测试各种控制法则，以测试不同的理论并深入了解生物耳蜗的功能。 预计这项工作将有助于建立改进的人工耳蜗，从而改善超过 3000 万患有永久性听力损失的美国人的生活质量。活跃的人工毛细胞可能会导致新的人工耳蜗并恢复听力功能。该研究计划将为代表性不足的本科生提供良好的学习和教育。