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A method for studying the coupled electrical-mechanical response of droplet interface bilayers is proposed. This research examines the concept of the biologically-inspired hair cell in greater depth, attempting to determine the source of the sensing current when no external potential is applied across the sensing droplet-interface bilayer element. Historically the mechanosensitive current in these droplet-interface bilayers has been attributed to a combination of capacitive currents and electrode oscillation (experimental error); however the development of a third sensing mechanism through modifying the bilayer properties may enhance the usefulness of the mechanosensitive droplet interface bilayer networks considerably. This would allow for measurable sensing currents without requiring an externally applied electric field by permanently charging the bilayer element through surface modifications. Charging agents are added to the droplet interface bilayer network as the network is oscillated and the electrical response is recorded for analysis. The adsorption of the charged molecules is studied through the intramembrane field compensation (IFC) approach, and the knowledge gained from this is then applied towards the mechanosensitivity analysis. Multiple charging techniques are tested and employed, and the nature of the sensing current is determined by examining the frequency content of the recorded currents. Several properties are derived, including the nature of the sensing current, the charging mechanisms available for boosting the sensing current, and the nature of the sensing current without externally applied potentials.
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