ABSTRACT
The sensory systems of plants and animals are highly evolved and optimized. They are characterized by ef„cient functionality, low-power requirements, small size and mass, and environmental robustness. The structures of biological sensors provide „ltering and ampli„cation of incoming signals, and the high sensitivity is currently unmatched by manmade sensors. Evolution has led to many highly ef„cient sensory solutions for applications, including tracking prey and predators, detecting odors and tastes, recognizing objects, and controlling motion. Analogous sensory systems are applicable to engineering problems for applications, including controlling robots and autonomous vehicles such that they avoid obstacles, detecting hazardous chemicals or monitoring air quality, and allowing an amputee to sense touch through a prosthetic limb. Because biological sensors are already performing so many highly specialized sensing tasks, looking to nature for inspiration for manmade sensors is a given.
