Patent ID: 8747563

Claim:
A method of anti-fouling a sensing device comprising the steps of: providing a sensing device having a sensing member extending across a gap between first and second portions of a support structure and first and second opposing ends of said sensing member are attached to first and second portions of the support structure respectively; providing an actuator member constructed of an adaptive material operable to induce an ultrasonic vibration when selectively actuated by applying an input necessary to actuate the adaptive material where said actuator member is arranged with an orientation adapted to induce vibrations with a desired orientation; attaching the actuator member in an optimal manner to the support structure operable to efficiently transfer the ultra sonic vibration to the support structure and thereby to the sensing member; and inducing structural ultrasonic vibrations with the actuator by applying the input necessary to actuate the adaptive material, where said sensing member is an exposed filament wire of a hot-wire anemometer adapted for sensing fluid flow or wind speed, and where the actuator member is an elongated actuator strip having a fixed end attached on a substrate and an opposing actuation end attached to the support structure.