Fly Ormia Ochracea Inspired MEMS Directional Microphone: A Review

Since the discovery of the ears of Ormia ochracea, a parasitic fly, a significant work in designing a microelectro-mechanical (MEMS)-based directional microphone and its potential applications in medical device, hearing aids, has been carried out. In this paper, we first report the anatomical and behavioral studies of the fly's ear system and fly's quest for host finding, respectively. We then give a brief history of the microphones inspired from the fly's ear anatomy, starting from the beginning when the first time biomechanics of the fly's ear was reported by Miles group in 1995. Finally, the most demanded application of the MEMS directional microphone, hearing aids, is also reported along with the insight of current challenges and future perspective of the directional microphones.