Spider Silk and Sound Detection: A New Approach to Microphone Technology
Researchers from Binghamton University have discovered that spiders use their webs as a means of detecting sound, leading to potential breakthroughs in microphone technology.
Spiders, such as the Larinioides sclopetarius or bridge spider, are known for their intricate web-building abilities. However, these webs serve another purpose: they act as an enormous external eardrum that allows spiders to detect sound from a distance of up to 10 feet.
Unlike human ears that respond to changes in air pressure and vibrate accordingly, spider webs move with the flow of the air being displaced. This unique mechanism has inspired researchers at Binghamton University to explore new microphone designs based on this principle.
The team, led by Professor Ronald Miles, found that spider silk responds to a wide range of sound frequencies from 1 Hz up to 50 kHz. They are currently developing a silicon chip that simulates the properties of spider silk's responsiveness to sound frequencies in order to create smaller, more sensitive microphones.
Tests of these chips have shown promising results, with miniaturized flow-based microphones not suffering from the same 'performance penalty' as pressure-based microphones when miniaturized. This could lead to significant advancements in various fields such as hearing aids and environmental monitoring devices.
The researchers presented their findings at the joint meeting of the Acoustical Society of America and Canadian Acoustical Association on May 16, 2024, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
