Development of a Cochlear Biomodel using Micro-Electromechanical Systems (MEMS)

The human cochlea is undeniably one of the most amazing organs in the body. One of its most intriguing features is its unique capability to convert sound waves into electrical nerve impulses. Humans can generally perceive frequencies between 20 Hz and 20 kHz with their auditory systems. Several studies have been conducted on building an artificial basilar membrane for the human cochlea (cochlear biomodel). It's possible to mimic the active behavior of the basilar membrane using micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS). This paper proposes an array of MEMS bridge beams that are mechanically sensitive to the perceived audible frequency. It was designed to operate within the audible frequency range of a set of bridge beams with 0.65 μm thickness, width of 50 μm and varying lengths between 200 μm and 2000 μm. As the material for bridge beam structures, Platinum (Pt), Molybdenum (Mo), Chromium (Cr), and Aluminium (Al) have been considered. For the cochlear biomodel, platinum has proven to be the best material, closely mimicking the basilar membrane, based on the finite element (FE) and lumped element (LE) models.