Nature as a model for technical sensors

Abstract

Nature has developed a stunning diversity of sensory systems. Humans rely mainly on visual information for object detection, discrimination and spatial orientation. In addition, they use acoustic, olfactory, and somatosensory cues. But even beyond these common sensory systems a large variety of highly specialized sensors have evolved in the animal kingdom. Examples include the infrared receptors of snakes and pyrophilous insects, the electroreceptors of fish, the magnetoreceptors of birds and the lateral line of fish and amphibians. This chapter deals with certain aspects of the detection and processing of hydrodynamic information in both natural and artificial lateral line systems. We show that the study of seemingly exotic sensory systems, such as the fish lateral line, can lead to discoveries that are useful for the construction of man-made sensors.