The First IEEE/RAS-EMBS International Conference on Biomedical Robotics and Biomechatronics, 2006. BioRob 2006.
DOI: 10.1109/biorob.2006.1639076
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This work presents the design, modeling and micro-fabrication of a biomimetic digital-output inclinometer. It describes the first attempt, up to our knowledge, to exploit the statolyth-cilia arrangement found in the statocyst organ, common in the animal kingdom, for the development of an artificial sensor. A CAD model and the techniques used for the sensor micro-fabrication, together with considerations on its working principle are presented. A model taking into account gravitational, viscous and electric forces is also presented. The first prototype has an external cubic shape with a 3 mm edge and presents a spatial angular resolution of about pi/5 steradians. This micro-inclinometer is intended to provide micro-robots (e.g. autonomous robots, robotic endoscopes or surgical tools) with spatial orientation information