Harbor seal whisker inspired flow sensors to reduce vortex-induced vibrations

Some of the biological sensors found in nature portray the best designs with incomprehensible sensing features. Recent studies reveal that Harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) are capable of performing underwater wake tracking using their vibrissae alone. It is believed that the unique geometry of the whiskers may play a role in suppressing vortex-induced vibrations. In this work, we developed piezoelectric MEMS flow sensors that utilize high aspect ratio micro-whiskers to sense flows underwater with high sensitivity. Through a comparative experimental study, the contribution of a whisker-like geometry towards the reduction of vortex-induced vibrations as compared to a cylindrical geometry is validated.