PROJECT PROPOSAL FABRICATION OF A BIO-MIMETIC VESTIBULAR SYSTEM TO MAINTAIN BALANCE IN VARIOUS SYSTEMS

The vestibular labyrinth- present in the inner ear, in humans and many other animals, is the key organ that helps us in maintaining balance and keeping our gaze. This system can be mimicked biomechanically and used to retain balance in robotic systems as well as obtain stabilized, shake-free images from cameras used in endoscopy. Comprising two major parts i.e., the three semicircular canals and the otoliths, the vestibular system detects head motion and posture to help us keep balance. The two otolith organs- saccule and utricle, detect linear motion the semicircular canal system detects rotational motion. The otolith organs are the linear motion sensors of the mammalian system. Mathematically modeled, they consist of an overdamped second-order system with elastic, viscous damping, and mass elements. The three semi-circular canals are small ring-like structures, each forming two thirds of a circle with a diameter of about 6.5 mm and a cross-sectional diameter of 0.4 mm. A fluid named endolymph fills the semi-circular canal. One end of each canal expands to form an ampulla that possesses sensory epithelium. This epithelium has special hair-like structures called kinocilium and stereocilia. The relative movement of stereocilia against kinocilia causes a depolarization that generates an action potential on their membrane. The semi-circular canal can detect angular velocities between 0.5 to 500/s. The canal on either ear acts in a push-pull manner. When the canal on one side is stimulated and a sequence of impulses is generated, the same thing happens on the other side, but in the opposite direction. This push-pull system enables us to sense rotations in all directions. When we read while shaking our head from side-to-side, the print appears fixed. This is due to the Vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) action. When the vestibular system detects

rotation, it sends a signal to the brain to move the eye in the opposite direction. Thus, the image is preserved in the centre of the field of vision. The response of the semi-circular canal system can be represented as a second order system as given: (s) =
ks x q(s) (T1s + 1)(T2 s + 1)

where T1=3ms and T2=5s (empirical values) and q(s) is the rotational input. Each of the semicircular canals can be considered as a torus with a slight distension on one end- to represent ampulla. The endolymph can be represented by a fluid with density and viscosity almost equal to that of endolymph. The epithelial membrane can be simulated using a thin film or diaphragm with a pressure sensor attached to it in order to characterize the actual behaviour of the membrane under controlled experimental conditions and to design and develop the cilia-like transducing units. This kind of design can assist in the fabrication of a bio-mimetic sensor that has sensing capabilities analogous to the actual biological system. Modeling the semi-circular canal has a wide variety of applications. It can be used for balance-control in robots, especially humanoids. Moreover, in individuals with balance impairments, MEMS-based vestibular system models can be surgically implanted, although this idea is still under research. If VOR is modeled, the system can be implemented in cameras to get stabilized images. In capsule endoscopy, where the camera undergoes a lot of shaking while passing through the different tubes in our body, implementing a VOR system can give focused, stabilized images.

Submitted by Venmathi. G Department of Instrumentation and Control Engineering

National Institute of Technology, Thiruchirapalli