The new design could be used in applications ranging from hearing aids and cell phones to surveillance and acoustic noise control systems
Using the sensitive ears of a parasitic fly for inspiration, a group of researchers has created a new type of microphone that achieves better acoustical performance than what is currently available in hearing aids.
The scientists will present their results at the 21st International Congress on Acoustics, held June 2-7 in Montreal.
Ronald Miles, Distinguished Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Binghamton University, studies the hearing of Ormia ochracea, a house fly-sized insect that is native to the southeast United States and Central America. Unlike most other flies, Ormia ochracea has eardrums that sense sound pressure, as do our ears, and they can hear “quite well,” says Miles. The female flies use their “remarkable” directional hearing to locate singing male crickets, on which they deposit their larvae.
Previously, Miles and colleagues Daniel Robert and Ronald Hoy described the mechanism by which the fly achieves its directional hearing, despite its small size. Now Miles and his group have designed a new microphone inspired by the fly’s ears.
The new design uses a microelectromechanical microphone with a 1 mm by 3 mm diaphragm that is designed to rotate about a central pivot in response to sound pressure gradients. The motion of the diaphragm is detected using optical sensors. To minimize the adverse effects of resonances on the response, Miles and his colleagues used a feedback system to achieve so-called active Q control.
“Q control basically is an electronic feedback control system to introduce electronic damping,” Miles explains. “You don’t want a microphone diaphragm to ring like a bell. It turns out that in order to achieve a very low noise floor – which is the quietest sound that can be detected without the signal being buried in the microphone’s noise – it is important to minimize any passive damping in these sensors. If you do that, the diaphragm will resonate at its natural frequency. We are the first group to show that you can use this sort of electronic damping in a microphone without adversely affecting the noise floor of the microphone.”
Indeed, the noise floor of the fly-inspired microphone is about 17 decibels lower than what can be achieved using a pair of low-noise hearing aid microphones to create a directional hearing aid. The new design could be used in applications ranging from hearing aids and cell phones to surveillance and acoustic noise control systems, Miles says, and “could easily be made as small as the fly’s ear.”
The Latest Bing News on:
New type of microphone
- Can Joanna Coles Tame the Daily Beast?on May 2, 2024 at 3:00 am
On her first week on the job as chief creative and content officer, Joanna Coles carried a tip into the newsroom: A friend told her that Barron Trump would attend NYU for college. She told a group of ...
- ‘I Will Never Forget Any of It’: Brittney Griner Is Ready to Talkon May 1, 2024 at 9:01 pm
In an interview, the basketball star reveals her humiliation — and friendships — in Russian prison, and her path to recovery.
- Walmart’s new Onn 4K Google TV streamer is a $50 box with an upgraded processor, memory, storage, and portson May 1, 2024 at 6:28 pm
Under the hood, the processor has been upgraded from an Amlogic S905Y4 chip to a S905Y4 processor. But the bigger upgrades are that the new media streamer has 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage, which is ...
- Americans Listen To Far More Radio Than Podcasts—Even Young People, New Data Showson May 1, 2024 at 7:28 am
Americans spend more than four hours listening to audio everyday, new Nielsen data shows, with an overwhelming majority spent on radio.
- Beats Solo Buds Launching in June With 18-Hour Battery Life and a Tiny Case for $79.99on April 30, 2024 at 7:01 am
Alongside the new Beats Solo 4 headphones, Apple's Beats brand is announcing an all-new entry-level model of earbuds, Beats Solo Buds. Priced ...
- Check out 15 of the most groundbreaking freestyles in Hip Hop historyon April 29, 2024 at 3:45 am
Whether written in advance or delivered off the top of the dome, freestyling remains one of the rawest forms of Hip Hop expression. With Westside Gunn taking a backseat, Benny The Butcher and Conway ...
- This Keyboard Folio Makes It Easy to Type on Your iPad, Now $94.97on April 25, 2024 at 4:00 am
Through April 30 at 11:59 PM Pacific, you can get this Open Box Keyboard Folio for iPad 10th Gen for just $94.97. Prices subject to change. PCMag editors select and review products independently. If ...
- SM57 vs SM58: which of these classic microphones should you pick?on April 19, 2024 at 4:32 am
If you want a live vocal microphone, then it has to be the SM58 thanks to its bass attenuation and round grille with the built-in pop shield. It responds excellently during handheld use and with ...
- 27 Gifts for Musicians, From New Artists to Superstarson April 18, 2024 at 4:19 pm
Whether they’re just getting started or a seasoned pro, we’ll help you find the perfect something for the musician in your life.
- MIC releases Stat Annual ahead of selling seasonon April 18, 2024 at 8:56 am
The Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC) accelerated the publication of its Statistical Annual, releasing it before the spring selling season instead of toward the end of the year as in the past.
The Latest Google Headlines on:
New type of microphone
[google_news title=”” keyword=”new type of microphone” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
The Latest Bing News on:
Fly-inspired microphone
- Just Try Not to Sing Along to These Sweet Mother-Daughter Songson April 30, 2024 at 8:46 am
Only the best mother-daughter songs for your Mother's Day, wedding or birthday celebration! Includes upbeat bops, country tearjerkers, and all the classics.
- How 4batz Became Music’s Hottest New Star: ‘Ain’t Nothing Calculated’on April 29, 2024 at 5:00 am
The streaming sensation reveals his real voice, answers the industry-plant allegations, and talks Ye’s and Drake’s endorsements in his exclusive first interview.
- The Godfather of American Comedyon April 29, 2024 at 4:00 am
This article appears in the June 2024 print edition with the headline “The Godfather of American Comedy.” When you buy a book using a link on this page, we receive a commission. Thank you for ...
- The best, worst and weirdest of Stagecoach Day 1 with Eric Church, Jelly Roll and moreon April 27, 2024 at 1:02 pm
From Jelly Roll's big night and Eric Church's somber set to Dwight Yoakam's flying fringe, these are the biggest moments from Day 1 of Stagecoach 2024.
- Stagecoach live updates: Set times, Jelly Roll, Willie Nelson and Beyonce rumorson April 26, 2024 at 10:22 am
Headliners Eric Church, Miranda Lambert and Morgan Wallen will be joined by a robust undercard of Jelly Roll, Willie Nelson and Post Malone.
- Zendaya Glows in Green, Plus Chrissy Teigen, John Legend, Paris Hilton, Martin Short and Moreon April 25, 2024 at 12:57 pm
Zendaya glows in green, plus Chrissy Teigen, John Legend, Paris Hilton, Martin Short and more. From Hollywood to New York and everywhere in between, see what your favorite stars are up to!
- The 40 Best Deep Cuts of 2004: Staff Pickson April 25, 2024 at 10:45 am
Our 2004 Week continues here with our list of the year’s best deep cuts — our staff’s favorite ’04 album tracks that were never released as official U.S. singles. For a long time, it seemed like 2004 ...
- Watch: Chris Stapleton serenades John Stamos on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' in hilarious performanceon April 18, 2024 at 8:32 am
Chris Stapleton hit the stage at "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" to play a game. Little did he know it would involve an ode to the former "Full House" star.
- Taylor Swift's 'The Tortured Poets Department' ushers in a new era of her music. Here's a guide to every era of her groundbreaking career.on April 18, 2024 at 7:25 am
Taylor Swift's 11th studio album, "The Tortured Poets Department," officially comes out on Friday. Each of her album eras has had a unique aesthetic.
- James Hetfield Has Tattoo Made with Ashes of Motörhead's Lemmy Kilmister: 'Salute to My Friend'on April 18, 2024 at 2:32 am
Metallica's James Hetfield unveiled a tattoo tribute to Motörhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister, on April 17 and revealed that the inking included a 'pinch' of the singer's ashes.
The Latest Google Headlines on:
Fly-inspired microphone
[google_news title=”” keyword=”fly-inspired microphone” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]