Considerations for the design of an epipelagic biomimetic electrostatic imaging element

We discuss the development and design of a Biomimetic Electrostatic Imaging (BEI) element for use in a future multichannel imaging instrument. Inspiration for electrostatic sensing is provided by the diverse species of fish that use passive and induced electric fields for hunting, defense, localization, and communication. Designing an electrostatic sensor is not without its challenges. Hardware filter and amplifier design are analyzed since the high impedance signals require high gain and steps must be taken to minimize noise, maximizing signal to noise ratio.