Waveform Sensors: The Next Challenge in Biomimetic Electroreception

The interest in developing bioinspired electric sensors increased after the rising use of electric fields as image carriers in underwater robots and medical devices using artificial electroreception (electrotomography and electric catheterism). Electric images of objects have been most often conceived as the amplitude modulation of the local electric field on a sensory mosaic, but recent research in electric fish indicates that the evaluation of time waveform of local stimulus can increase the electrosensory channels capacities and therefore improve discrimination and recognition of target objects. This minireview deals with the present importance of developing electric sensors specifically tuned to the expected carrier waveforms to improve design of artificial bioinspired agents and diagnosis devices.