High sensitivity acoustic flow sensing based on bio-inspired web-like structure for panoramic acoustic perception.

Panoramic perception, as a technology for comprehensive information acquisition, is a fascinating research topic across various disciplines. Acoustic, being one of the most familiar channels for human information conveyance, holds considerable potential for harnessing in panoramic perception. In nature, the spider is able to sense acoustic-induced air particle motion using a slender web. The unique acoustic response mechanism approaches maximum physical efficiency, which is much better than all previously known acoustic responsiveness of tympanic membranes. Herein, inspired by such unique structural and functional features of the spider auditory system, we propose a bio-inspired web-like structure that exhibits superior mechanical compliance (23.6 ~ 0.016 μm/Pa), high sensitivity (9.36 mm/s/Pa @100 Hz), excellent low-frequency response (10 Hz in experiment, 1 Hz in simulation), fine frequency resolution (0.05 Hz) and inherent directionality to acoustic. These excellent features demonstrate that the bio-inspired web-like structure is well-suited for high-performance acoustic detection and holds potential for panoramic acoustic perception. Meanwhile, the sensing system demonstrates promise in automatic driving, disaster monitoring and early warning, human-computer interaction, national defense security, etc.