A study on sharks underwater sensing ability and its applications

• Main Author: Kuah, Gilbert Zhi Xin.
• Other Authors: Miao Jianmin
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2013
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/53571
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Sharks are known to have the ability to detect weak electric field generated by its prey. The Ampullae of Lorenzini (AOL), first discovered by Stefano Lorenzini in 1678, has been identified as the biosensor which is responsible for electroreception. Since then, many experiments were conducted to determine the AOL’s functions. In this report, readings were done to gather the AOL sensitivity, functions, limitations and its principle of sensing prey. Individual components of the AOL system were considered in obtaining the main function and working of the shark’s AOL. With this knowledge in hand, a computer modeled prototype of an artificial AOL was created using Solidworks to mimic the AOL’s ability to detect the bioelectricity produced by the prey. One such application for the artificial sensor is mounting the sensor in ROVs and AUVs to detect presence of marine life in dark water conditions. Given sufficient time and resources, the design can be fabricated and implemented in these underwater crafts.