As part of ongoing acoustic research at Binghamton University, State University at New York Distinguished Professor Ron Miles has created a workable sensor with the least possible resistance to motion. The thin and flexible sensor is ideal for sensing sounds because it can move with the airflow made by even the softest noises and addresses issues with accelerometers, microphones and many other similar sensors.

"The goal was to create a sensor that only resists gravity," said Miles. "The sensor needed to stay connected to the device but other than that, I wanted it to move with even the slightest sounds or movement of the air."

Being able to move with the air is how sensors are able to tell when a sound is present and which direction it is coming from.

Miles made headway with acoustic sensors in 2017 by using spider silk dipped in gold as a thin, flexible sensor to make a microphone with remarkably flat frequency response. This sensor incorporated a magnet in order to convert the silk motion into an electronic signal.

As an alternative to using a magnet, Miles set out to create a capacitive sensor. Instead of needing a magnet, a capacitive sensor requires a voltage added to it via electrodes.

Two billion capacitive microphones are produced every year but making them both small and effective comes with some challenges.

His new platform provides a way to detect the motion of extremely thin fibers or films by sensing changes in an electric field without the use of a magnet.

It hasn't previously been feasible to use capacitive sensing on extremely flexible, thin materials because they've needed to resist electrostatic forces that can either damage them or impede their movement.

"Researchers want the sensor to move with small forces from sound, without being affected by the electrostatic forces," Miles said.

In this most recent work, Miles has found a design that allows the thin, flexible sensor - which could be spider silk or any other material just as thin - to swing above two fixed electrodes.

"Because the sensor is at a 90-degree angle from the electrodes, the electrostatic forces don't affect its movement," said Miles.

This is a critical part of the design because the sensors need to have a high bias voltage - the voltage required for a device to operate - to be effective since the sensitivity of the sensor increases with a high bias voltage.

This design means that capacitive sensors, like the ones used in smartphones, can be both smaller and more efficient.

Miles said the unique design also provides a few other benefits important in various applications.

"The way the sensor is designed now means that it has a nearly constant potential energy but can also return to its equilibrium after large motions."

Research paper

Related Links
Binghamton University
Powering The World in the 21st Century at Energy-Daily.com

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

Paving the way for safer, smaller batteries and fuel cells
Philadelphia PA (SPX) Jun 25, 2018
Fuel cells and batteries provide electricity by generating and coaxing positively charged ions from a positive to a negative terminal which frees negatively charged electrons to power cellphones, cars, satellites, or whatever else they are connected to. A critical part of these devices is the barrier between these terminals, which must be separated for electricity to flow. Improvements to that barrier, known as an electrolyte, are needed to make energy storage devices thinner, more efficient, safe ... read more