Biomimetic Imaging of Flow Phenomena

Biologists have reported that fish form sensory maps to assist in the imaging of flow disturbances underwater, including those created by predator or prey, using the lateral-line flow-sensing system. Our group has invented artificial lateral-line systems based on both micromachined and commercial hot-wire anemometer sensors. In this paper, we report on the successful application of adaptive beamforming (Capon´s method), in conjunction with an artificial lateral line, to visualize flow disturbances, including acoustic dipoles, underwater. Our preliminary results showcase, for the first time, an ability to image an entire region underwater using micro and millimeter scale arrays, thereby mimicking the flow-imaging abilities of fish.