On pinnae design and fabrication technology

IET Radar, Sonar & Navigation

Epure

2013

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This work presents the results of airborne ultrasonic image generation based on biomimetic sonar heads. Ultrasonic images refer to the representation of the environment with the help of ultrasonic waves and based on sonar principle. The generation of ultrasonic images is based on the classical methodology of the sonar, having target detection and classification purposes as main applications. An element of the image (which could be assimilated as pixel) has the intensity proportional to signals reflected by the surface of objects in the explored environment. Sonar heads with biomimetic functional behaviour (i.e. having one emitter and two receivers) were built. The key motivation in deploying such sonar heads is efficiency, that is, simplicity combined with acceptable performances based on ultrasonic image processing. Simplicity is related to modularity and portable structure, in the sense of computer's portability. Biomimetism has a double meaning, by the structure of the sonar head and by the nature of the exploring algorithms (which use observations on bat behaviour). This work considers airborne ultrasonic images at distances less than one metre and with fixed working frequency (40 kHz). The preliminary results show the feasibility of the approach and consolidate a research direction focused on navigation based on airborne ultrasonic image processing.

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Section: Narrow Directivity Of Recsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Airborne ultrasonic image generation with biomimetic sonar head

IET Radar, Sonar & Navigation

Epure

2013

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“…On vertical plane there are two symmetric beams, with reference of horizontal plane. More details on design, measuring and performances of such shapes (pinnae) are presented in [14] and [15].…”

Section: Iidescription Of the Sonar Headmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This is caused by the improper shape of the spatial characteristics of the sensors, which has two maxima in the vertical plane (see [15]). Knowing data about the directivity of sensors, we estimate that decreasing of the artifacts at the bottom of images, should be not very difficult.…”

Section: Description Of the Experimentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The approximate "mushroom" shape contains, in fact, a second altered image of the obstacle. This is caused by the improper shape of the spatial characteristics of the sensors, which has two maxima in the vertical plane (see [15]). One of the next objectives is to modify the reflector of the sensor, so as to obtain a regular symmetrical main lobe of the spatial characteristics; (4) obstacles with different shapes produce different shapes of the objects in the images.…”

Section: Description Of the Experimentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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On ultrasonic image generation with biomimetic sonar head and narrow beam

2012 9th International Conference on Communications (COMM)

2012

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Airborne ultrasonic images are not often used in practice, mainly because of the poor air propagation properties of ultrasonic frequencies and high necessary computation resources. The availability of powerful signal processors and the need to have solutions in some special environments, such as dark, smog or fog, require the reconsideration of airborne ultrasonic images, using classic or classic plus biomimetic processing techniques. The paper presents preliminary results of ultrasonic image generation and processing system by a biomimetic sonar head. The goals of the image processing are detection and object recognition. The transmitted and received signals (echoes) are processed by the blocks of the biomimetic sonar head. Experiments were conducted for eight cases, based on three main (similar) objects, and various image resolutions, 20x20 and 40x40. Images are generated by a discrete and uniform exploring approach, i.e. for each direction a burst is transmitted and echo signals are recorded and processed. The fixed working frequency is 40 kHz and the directivity of the receivers has narrow beams. The results are encouraging and suggest development and optimization of the proposed method.

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Some Results on Ultrasonic Image Generation with Biomimetic Sonar Head and Focused Narrow Beams

Soft Computing Applications

2013