A Basic Study on an Artificial Cochlea Sensor and Actuator Based on the Energy Flow Theory

通过关注哺乳动物耳蜗的复杂功能，我们的目标是建模并将其谐振器阵列结构应用于高效和智能的传感器和执行器。为此，本研究项目的实际目标如下：建立一个哺乳动物耳蜗的模型，作为一组二阶弹簧-质量系统，这些系统在机电类比的基础上有一些相互作用。研究一种传感器和驱动器阵列的最佳结构，并采用硅微加工技术制作。通过实验验证其在听觉传感器和机械执行器上的适用性。本课题的成果总结如下：1。基于“能量流理论”的耳蜗声音加工机制理论构建被称为“鱼骨”的谐振器阵列结构的制造。我们推导出了谐振腔阵列的最佳结构，建立了设计规则，用硅微加工技术机械制作了谐振腔阵列，并通过实验验证了理论。确认其作为智能听觉传感器和机械执行器的适用性。作为一种传感器，它被证明是一种智能麦克风，它具有一组频率逐渐变化的谐振器光束，并将声音分解成正弦振动。采用压电传感的方法，观察了机械-电子信号的变换。作为执行器，我们观察到一个脉冲序列，它是谐振器光束的细微正弦输入的总和。

By focusing on the sophisticated functions of the mammalian cochlea, we aim to model and to apply its resonator array structure to efficient and smart sensors and actuators. For this purpose, actual goals of this research project are as follows :1. To create a model of the mammalian cochlea as an array of 2nd order spring-mass systems which have some mutual interactions based on the electro-mechanical analogy.2. To investigate an optimum structure of the array as a sensor and an actuator and to fabricate it by Si micro-machining.3. To confirm its applicability to an auditory sensor and a mechanical actuator through experiments.The summary of the results of this project is as follows :1. Construction of a theory of sound processing mechanism in the cochlea based on "the energy flow theory".2. Fabrication of the resonator array structure called 'fishbone'.We induced an optimum structure of the resonator array, established design rules, fabricated it mechanically by Si micro-machining and confirmed the theory through experiments.3. Confirmation of its applicability as an intelligent auditory sensor and a mechanical actuator.As a sensor, it proved to be a smart microphone which had an array of resonator beams of gradually varying frequencies and decomposed a sound into sinusoidal vibrations. By a piezo-electric sensing method, we observed mechanical-electronic signal transformation. As an actuator, we observed an impulse train which was the summation of subtle sinusoidal inputs to the resonator beams.