Scientists have developed a microphone that captures sound better than the human ear, and can also be easily attached to the skin.
Conventional MEMS-based microphones used in cell phones, Bluetooth devices and others consist of thin, small and complex diaphragm structures. However, since they are made of silicon, the diaphragm or microphone is difficult to deform at will.
The research team overcame this limitation by creating a microphone structure based on MEMS using polymer materials that are more flexible than silicon and can take any shape. The size of the device is a quarter of a nail, and its thickness is only a few hundred micrometers. The microphone can be attached to large areas of the body or even on the finger.
According to the study, the auditory sensitivity of the microphone is higher than the human ear, while it recognizes ambient sounds and the user’s voice without distortion. When the acoustic sensor on the skin was connected to the Google Assistant voice assistant, a person could easily perform all the usual tasks.
