Artificial Lateral Line Canal System for Underwater Disturbance Sensing

This dissertation describes a new mode of hydrodynamic sensing using a micromachined artificial lateral line canal system. As a potential alternative to sonar, it offers a passive mode of detection, which could allow for the realization of stealth monitoring capabilities. An example would be for the real-time autonomous detection and tracking of underwater targets. In order to create an artificial lateral line canal, flow sensors are needed to detect the flow inside the canal. A microfabricated artificial haircell flow sensor has been developed for this purpose. The sensor utilizes a piezoresistive transduction mechanism. It consists of a silicon cantilever with doped piezoresistors at the fixed end and an out-of-plane, high-aspect-ratio SU-8 hair structure attached to the free end. The design, fabrication, theoretical modeling and experimental characterization of the sensor will be presented. The sensor exhibits good sensitivity down to the submm/s range for underwater oscillatory flow. It can also distinguish between flows from different directions. However, the sensor becomes saturated by low frequency noise under strong background flow. In order to detect disturbances under these conditions, the sensors are embedded in an artificial canal structure. The fabrication of the first prototype artificial lateral line canal device will be presented, followed by the fluid-mechanics modeling and experimental validation. Measurements conducted in running water have clearly demonstrated the advantage of using a canal structure for disturbance sensing under noisy flow conditions.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2015

Author dc:creator

• Chen, Nannan

Contributors dc:contributor

• Chang Liu

• Engineering, Electronics and Electrical

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

(MiAaPQ)AAI3337725

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/81090