Constriction canal assisted artificial lateral line system for enhanced hydrodynamic pressure sensing

With the assistance of mechanosensory lateral line system, fish can perceive minute water motions in complex underwater environments. Inspired by the constriction within canal nearby canal neuromast in fish lateral line system, we proposed a novel canal artificial lateral line (CALL) device with constriction in canal nearby the sensing element. The designed CALL device consisted of a poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene)/polyimide cantilever as the sensing element and a polydimethylsiloxane (PUMS) microfluid canal. Two types of CALL devices, i.e., CALL with straight canal (S-CALL) and CALL with constriction canal (C-CALL), were developed and characterized employing a dipole source. Experimental results showed that the proposed C-CALL device achieved a pressure gradient detection limit of 0.64 Pa m(-1), which was much lower than the S-CALL device. It indicates that the constriction in the canal nearby the sensing element could enhance the hydrodynamic pressure sensing performance of the CALL device. In addition, the constriction could modify the frequency response of the CALL device, and the C-CALL device achieved higher voltage output than S-CALL in high-frequency domain.