1998 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
A Basic Study on an Artificial Cochlea Sensor and Actuator Based on the Energy Flow Theory
| Project/Area Number |
08455189
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
計測・制御工学
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| Research Institution | The University of Tokyo |
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Principal Investigator |
ANDO Shigeru The University of Tokyo, Faculty of Engineering, Professor, 大学院・工学系研究科, 教授 (70134468)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
ABE Mototsugu The University of Tokyo, Faculty of Engineering, Research Associate, 大学院・工学系研究科, 助手 (70272391)
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| Project Period (FY) |
1996 – 1998
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| Keywords | auditory sensor / auditory model / intelligent sensor / micro-machine / micro-actuator / fishbone structure / time frequency analysis / hearing aid |
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| Research Abstract |
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.
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