Sensors
AssigneeBristol Maritime Robotics Ltd
InventorsRichard Sewell, Thomas Rooney
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A sensor comprising a whisker shaft and a follicle is provided. The shaft has a root end and a tip end and the shaft tapers from the root end to the tip end so that the root end is wider and the tip end is narrower. The root end is pivotably mounted in the follicle.
Claims19
A method of sensing comprising:
- providing one or more artificial whisker sensors, the or each sensor comprising a tapered whisker shaft;
- measuring the frequency spectrum of the vortex-induced vibration caused by interaction between the sensor/s and a medium of interest.
A method of sensing comprising:
- providing one or more artificial whisker sensors, the or each sensor comprising a tapered whisker shaft;
- moving the whisker through medium of interest and in doing so causing vortex-induced vibration;
- and
- measuring the frequency spectrum of the vibration.
The method according to claim I, being a method of measuring fluid flow speed, the method comprising:
- providing one or more artificial whisker sensors, the or each sensor comprising a tapered whisker shaft;
- and
- using both whisker deflection and whisker vortex induced vibration to measure fluid flow speed.
A method of measuring surface compliance, comprising the steps of:
- providing one or more artificial whisker sensors, the or each sensor comprising a tapered whisker shaft;
- and
- using whisker deflection along with a known motion to measure compliance and/or hardness of a surface.
The method according to claim I, being a method of measuring flow around an underwater vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing one or more artificial whisker sensors, the or each sensor comprising a tapered whisker shaft;
- and
- using whisker deflection and/or whisker vortex induced vibration to measure fluid flow speed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.