Sensors and Sensing: A Biologist’s View

Abstract

Sensors and sensing are essential for all forms of life. Correspondingly, there is a fascinating richness and diversity of sensory systems throughout the animal kingdom. This essay was mainly written for the non-biologist who is introduced to a few selected aspects of sensory biology. Foremost among these are some working principles common to biological sensors, whatever the form of energy is they respond to. The physiology of membrane channels and the outstanding sensitivity of many bio-sensors are highlighted. It is stressed that besides the cellular and molecular details the refinement of a sense organ’s “engineering” reflects the needs of an entire behaving animal. Accordingly, the relevant and often complex natural stimuli, which the sensors evolved to process, have to be found and applied, in order to fully understand any sensory system. This is a particular challenge in cases where animals show sensory capabilities alien to our human perceptions. The two main links between biology and engineering are “technical biology” and “bionics”. The application of computational skills and mathematical quantification are the most valuable in-puts from engineering to sensory biology. The biologist on the other hand will not provide ready made instructions of how to build a device but offer familiarity with a treasure house of inspiring solutions to a wealth of sensory problems.