Design and fabrication of a biomimetic gyroscope inspired by the fly's haltere

We report on the design and fabrication of a MEMS-based gyroscopic system inspired by the fly's haltere system. Two types of so-called biomimetic gyroscopes have been designed, fabricated and their drive mode has been characterized. First measurements indicate excitable gyropscopes with natural frequencies in the order of 2 kHz and near critically damped systems, which is similar to the fly's haltere.