Morphological study of insect mechanoreceptors to develop artificial bio-inspired mechanosensors

Mechanoreceptors of the insect play a vital role for the insect to sense and monitor the environmental parameters, like flow, tactile pressure, etc. This paper presents the studies made on the morphology of the mechanoreceptor of the insect Blattella asahinai (scientific name of cockroach) that is a hair-like structure known as trichoid sensilla, by scanning electron microscope and confocal laser microscope. The scanned images show the details of sensilla components in which the hair is embedded in the sockets, which are connected with the cuticle and joint membrane, where the dendrite touches at the base of the hair passing through the cuticle layers. The images also show that the tubular bodies and microtubules are tightly compacted inside the dendrite. This paper presents the details of how the sensilla work when an external stimulus act on them. The hair deflects with the disturbance of the cuticle and joint membrane, and this deformed hair leans on the dendrite, which is attached at the base of the hair that in turn presses the tubular bodies and microtubules, which develop negative ions passing down through the dendrite to the neuron, which provides information as an electric signal to the brain of the insect so that it responds for necessary action. Based on the morphological studies, sensing mechanism, material properties of the components, and design principles will be evolved for the development of an artificial bio-inspired sensor. A solid works model of the sensilla is also presented