Acoustic sensing and communication using a metasurface

A passive acoustic metasurface system for interacting with an acoustic signal received at the passive acoustic metasurface system from an acoustic transmitter, the passive acoustic metasurface system comprising:

• a passive acoustic metasurface designed by executing a search to tune physical dimensions and distribution of meta-atoms in the passive acoustic metasurface with respect to a plurality of predefined input signal property sets of the acoustic signal to provide a tuned propagation profile of the meta-atoms in aggregate, and manufactured by forming the meta-atoms with the physical dimensions and the distribution determined by the search over the passive acoustic metasurface, wherein each meta-atom is configured to modulate incoming acoustic wavefronts to form corresponding outgoing acoustic wave exiting the passive acoustic metasurface, wherein the tuned propagation profile in aggregate supports the plurality of predefined input signal property sets of the incoming acoustic wavefronts and, for each input signal property set, the physical dimensions and the distribution of the meta-atoms are tuned according to the tuned propagation profile to modulate the incoming acoustic wavefronts to generate a predefined beam pattern of the acoustic signal exiting the passive acoustic metasurface corresponding to a select input signal property set plurality of predefined input signal property sets.