Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-xm8r8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-02T22:14:38.531Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Spatially Dependent Mechanical Properties Of Rat Whiskers For Tactile Sensing

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

E. K. Herzog
Affiliation:
School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, PO Box 642920 Washington State University, Pullman WA 99164
D. F. Bahr
Affiliation:
School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, PO Box 642920 Washington State University, Pullman WA 99164
C. D. Richards
Affiliation:
School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, PO Box 642920 Washington State University, Pullman WA 99164
R. F. Richards
Affiliation:
School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, PO Box 642920 Washington State University, Pullman WA 99164
D. M. Rector
Affiliation:
School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, PO Box 642920 Washington State University, Pullman WA 99164
Get access

Abstract

A new generation of sensors based on biologically inspired whisking action will help determine the presence and location of solid objects and fluid vortices similar to mechanisms used by whisker bearing animals such as rats and seals. By using nanoindentation, we demonstrate that mechanical properties are essentially uniform by cross section, but vary longitudinally from the whisker base (a 3.9 GPa elastic modulus) to the tip (a 3.1 GPa elastic modulus). Several recent studies show propagation of high frequency information through whiskers that are tuned by their physical properties. In order to fully understand and model these properties, this study demonstrates a more complex whisker structure than previously assumed.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2005

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1. Dehnhardt, G., Mauck, B., Hanke, W., Bleckman, H., Science 293, 102 (2001).Google Scholar
2. Guic-Robles, E., Valdivieso, C., Guajardo, G., Behav. Brain Res. 31, 285 (1989).Google Scholar
3. Carvell, G.E., Simons, D.J., J. Neurosci. 10, 2638 (1990).Google Scholar
4. Neimark, M.A., Andermann, M.L., Hopfield, J.J., Moore, C.I., J. Neurosci. 23, 6499 (2003).Google Scholar
5. Hartmann, M.J., Johnson, N.J., Blyth Towal, R., Assad, C., J. Neurosci. 23, 6510 (2003).Google Scholar
6. Oliver, W.C., Pharr, G.M., J. Mater. Res. 7, 1564 (1992).Google Scholar
7. Feughelman, M., J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 83, 489 (2002).Google Scholar
8. Hearle, J.W.S., Int. J. Biol. Macromolecules 27, 123 (2000).Google Scholar
9. Douglas, J.E., Mittal, C., Thomason, J.J., Jofriet, J.C., J. Exp. Biol. 199, 1829 (1996).Google Scholar
10. Bonser, R.H.C., J. Mater. Sci. Lett. 19, 1039 (2002).Google Scholar
11. Kreplak, L., Franbourg, A., Briki, F., Leroy, F., Dalle, D., Doucet, J., Biophys. J. 82, 2265 (2002).Google Scholar
12. Gibson, C.T., Myhra, S., Watson, G.S., Huson, M.G., Pham, D.K., Turner, P.S., Textile Res. J. 71, 573 (2001).Google Scholar
13. Woodcock, C.L., Bahr, D.F., Scripta Mater. 43, 783 (2000).Google Scholar
14. Watts, N.C., Jones, L.N., Cheng, N., Wall, J.S., Parry, D.A., Steven, A.C., J. Struct. Biol. 137, 109 (2002).Google Scholar