Biomimetic investigation of the impact of the ear canal on the acoustic field sensitivity of aye-ayes

Nemati, Hamidreza; Dehghan-Niri, Ehsan

doi:10.1016/j.apacoust.2022.109171

Cited by 2 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 62 publications

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“…Moreover, the frequency domain analysis showed a significant increase in dominant frequencies within the focal area with a maximum value of 5.4 kHz. These findings [40] indicate that the received signals exhibited higher sensitivity to larger frequencies when the pinna and ear canal were present. This heightened sensitivity can be attributed to the fact that smaller wavelengths enhance the ability to detect smaller cavities.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 72%

“…In their initial study [39], they introduced a biomimetic robotic tap-scanning system to measure the acoustic near-field of the aye-aye's biological auditory system, gaining insight into how it processes sound and uses this information to locate prey. Another study, investigated how the ear canal's shape and their morphological features affect the aye-aye's sensitivity to sound in different frequency ranges [40], concluding that their ear canal is uniquely adapted to enhance hearing sensitivity, especially in the higher frequency range. The present study leverages the findings from these two initial investigations.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Bio-Inspired Robotic Tap Testing: An Innovative Approach for Nondestructive Testing of Wooden Structures

Nemati,

Dehghan-Niri

2024

Preprint

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Tap testing is an effective way of characterizing material conditions and flaws in various materials, including wood. Given its versatility and widespread usage, wood requires thorough inspection to assess its quality, identify potential defects, and ensure the safety and durability of wooden structures across diverse applications. This technique has the advantage of being simple, efficient and inexpensive. The tap testing method, when performed manually, requires an operator to tap each point of the structure using a hand-held object (e.g., a coin or tap hammer). Consequently, the precision of this test is highly reliant on the inspector's subjective interpretation of the vibrational acoustic response. In order to overcome this drawback, a bio-inspired tap testing approach with augmented objectivity of signal analysis has been proposed. The pioneer tap testing is inspired by an animal named aye-aye recognized for its unique acoustic-based foraging behavior called 'tap-scanning' or 'percussive foraging'. The aye-aye's near-field versatile acoustic sensing capabilities enable it to locate small cavities beneath a tree bark with complex materials. Current work describes a quantitative and instrumented robotic tap test system that creates repeatable mechanical impacts using a biomimetic approach. Two specimens were utilized to validate the effectiveness of this biomimetic approach. One of the specimens possessed identical diameter flat bottom holes but of varying depths, and the other had different diameters at positions of the same thickness from the test surface. Biomimetic tap scanning was applied over the defect-free and damaged areas of the specimens utilizing the 3D printed animal pinna and head in the experimental setup. The findings indicated that the biological characteristics of the animal's external auditory organs including the pinna and ear cannel substantially enhanced the system's sensitivity in detecting artificial defects within wooden blocks. This enhancement was primarily attributed to a notable improvement in the signal-to-noise ratio. Moreover, the outcomes demonstrated that the head and external ear structure exerted a superior discriminating factor for damage detection compared to both the pinna with ear canal configuration and the microphone-only setup within the experimental framework. The underlying cause behind this heightened discriminating factor remains undetermined and warrants further investigation by the research team.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 72%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bio-Inspired Robotic Tap Testing: An Innovative Approach for Nondestructive Testing of Wooden Structures

Nemati,

Dehghan-Niri

2024

Preprint

Self Cite

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“…By drawing inspiration from biological systems and their innate ability to discern subtle cues and patterns, a bio-inspired tap testing method could enhance the objectivity of signal analysis, mitigating the challenges associated with traditional approaches. 12,13 This research aims to advance behavioral studies to refine the methods used to develop a bio-mimetic taptesting sensor. 9,10 To achieve this goal, a specialized enclosure with an attached foraging box was designed to facilitate interaction and tapping behavior by the aye-aye, thereby aiding in cavity localization.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Enhancing biomimetic design of tap scanning sensors through high-resolution thermal camera-based behavioral studies

Masurkar,

Nemati,

Dehghan Niri

2024

Bioinspiration, Biomimetics, and Bioreplication XIV

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Researchers conventionally employ thermal imaging to monitor the health of animals, observe their habitat utilization, and track their activity patterns. These non-invasive methods can generate detailed images and offer valuable insights into behavior, movements, and environmental interactions. The aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis), a rare and endangered lemur from Madagascar, possesses a uniquely slender third finger evolved for tapping surfaces at relatively high frequencies. The adaptation enables acoustic-based sensing to locate cavities with prey in trees to enhance their foraging abilities. The authors' previous studies have demonstrated some descent simulating dynamic models of the aye-aye's third digit referenced from limited data collected with monocular cameras, which can be challenging due to noisy and distorted images, impacting motion analysis adversely. In this proposed research, high-speed thermal cameras are employed to capture detailed finger position and orientation, providing a clearer understanding of the overall dynamic range. The improved biomimetic model aims to enhance tap-testing strategies in nondestructive evaluation for various inspection applications.

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Biomimetic investigation of the impact of the ear canal on the acoustic field sensitivity of aye-ayes

Cited by 2 publications

References 62 publications

Bio-Inspired Robotic Tap Testing: An Innovative Approach for Nondestructive Testing of Wooden Structures

Bio-Inspired Robotic Tap Testing: An Innovative Approach for Nondestructive Testing of Wooden Structures

Enhancing biomimetic design of tap scanning sensors through high-resolution thermal camera-based behavioral studies

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