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Introduction:
Our goal is to use biomimetics to develop an uncooled, photomechanic
infrared sensor. Our design is inspired by the pyrophilous beetle Melanophila acuminata, which employs photomechanical-based IR sensor organs and is extremely sensitive to the 3 µm band (to detect forest fires) with possible sensitivity to the 9 µm band as well (to evade capture by predators). IR sensors based on the photomechanical-effect may well provide an efficient and highly sensitive means for various civilian, military and industry applications such as the detection of forest fires, pedestrian and infantry detection and medical thermography. We are engineering MEMS devices based on the photomechanical IR organs of the jewel beetle to transduce changes in IR for use in an electromechanical IR imaging system. These sensors will have a performance equal to or exceeding a standardized detectivity (D*) of 1e8 cm*sqrt(Hz)/W, NEDT equal or less than 20 mK, pixel size equal or less than 20 µm and field of view equal or greater than 180°.
Project start date: July 1, 2005.
Principal Investigator:
Professor Albert P. Pisano
University of California, Berkeley
FANUC Chair of Mechanical Systems
Director, Berkeley Sensor & Actuator Center
Chair, Department of Mechanical Engineering
Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences
Department of Bioengineering
Research Partners:
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
Air Force Scientific Office of Research (AFSOR)
Kodak, Inc.
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