Development of Bionic Semicircular Canals and the Sensation of Angular Acceleration

Abstract

To study the sensing process of the human semicircular canals (HSCs) during head rotation, which is difficult to directly measure due to physiological reasons. A 1-BSC (one-dimensional bionic semicircular canal) and 3-BSC were prepared with soft SMPFs (symmetric electrode metal core polyvinylidene difluoride fibers), which could sense deformations similar to human sensory cells. Based on these models, experiments were carried out to study the principle of the HSCs. Deformations of the bionic ampulla (BA) depended on the angular acceleration. Gravity had a strong influence on the deformation of the BA in the vertical plane. When the 3-BSC was subjected to angular acceleration around one of its centerlines, the three BAs all deformed. The deformation of the BAs was linearly related to the angular acceleration. The deformation of the BA in the main semicircular canal was exactly three times that of the other two BAs.