Research On The Critical Features In Underwater Active Electrolocation

Underwater active electrolocation technology is developed from a special function which the weakly electric fish use their self-generated electric field to realize location. The active electrolocation system of the weakly electric fish consists of three parts:(1) an electric organ, which when discharged builds up an electric field in the water;(2) electroreceptors in the skin, which sense the self-generated electric field;(3) the animal’s brain, which controls the production of the electric signals and processes the information provided by the electroreceptors in order to detect and identify objects. Thus evolved bionic active electrolocation sensor system, for its simple structure, low cost, suitable for the complex underwater environment, started to get the attention of all kinds of scientists.The main content of this paper is the experimental research on the critical features in underwater active electrolocation. Using the existing active electrolocation platform, we launched a large number of experimental research from three aspects respectively, which including the features of the probed objects, the features of solution medium in the experimental environment and the electrical features of the sinusoidal excitation signal. Through these experimental researches we can get some relevant conclusions, then to further improve the existing active electrolocation platform. Through the experimental research of this paper, we can get the following conclusions:1. The features of the probed objects: For the insulator material objects, the Joint Time-Frequency Spectrum of frequency sweep detection results are all convex state. There is no a detect frequency dead zone in the detection processes. For the conductor material objects, there is a detect frequency dead zone and frequency inflection point in the frequency sweep detection processes, however the frequency inflection point is associated with the conductor material and the geometric features of objects.2. The features of solution medium in the experimental environment: With the changing of water conductivity in the experimental environment, the received electric field information trends in the detection processes will be different for the probed objects with different attributes, but the peak amplitude of the electric field will be decreased with the increase of the water conductivity.3. The electrical features of the sinusoidal excitation signal: With the changing of the sinusoidal excitation signal frequency, the received electric field information trends in the detection processes will be different for the probed objects with different attributes. With the changing of the sinusoidal excitation signal amplitude, the received electric field information trends in the detection processes will not be affected, but the peak amplitude of the electric field has been affected for any probed objects.According to the above conclusions which obtained from the research on the critical features in underwater active electrolocation, we need to improve and perfect the existing active electrolocation platform so as to achieve more accurate location and judgment of the probed objects.