Biomimetic Design and Fabrication of Components for Artificial Hair Cell Sensor

As a part of effort to develop an artificial hair cell (AHC) sensor, we designed and fabricated a high-aspect-ratio/single cilium structure and a mechanoreceptor since they are the most important components for AHC sensor. The high-aspect-ratio single/cilium structure was successfully replicated by means of a hot embossing process with a help of a double-sided mold system. Especially for the high-aspect-ratio microstructure, we have proposed a new concept of a separated micro mold system utilizing LIGA process. A multi-wall carbon nanotube polydimethylsiloxane (MWNT-PDMS) composite was used as a force sensitive resistive of a mechanoreceptor. The top-bottom electrodes type mechanoreceptor was designed since it is more effective than in-plane electrodes type. The performance of the mechanoreceptor was characterized by a nano indentation system.