Recent developments in bio-inspired sensors fabricated by additive manufacturing technologies

In our work on micro-fabricated hair-sensors, inspired by the flow-sensitive sensors found on crickets, we have made great progress. Initially delivering mediocre performance compared to their natural counter parts they have evolved into capable sensors with thresholds roughly a factor of 30 larger than of their natural equivalents. Due to this disparity, and also instigated by our work on fly-halteres inspired rotation rate sensors and desert locust ear-drum mimicking membrane struc- tures, we have analysed the differences in performance between natural and man-made sensors. We conclude that two major drawbacks of main-stream micro-fabrication are the lack of easily applicable soft materials, as well as the limitations imposed by photolithography based fabrication with respect to freeform 3D shaping of structures. Currently we are targeting additive manufacturing for biomimetic sensor structures and in this contribution we report initial results of 3D printed sensor structures.