According to Xinhua News Agency, researchers at the University of Queensland in Australia have developed an ultrasensitive ultrasonic sensor that could potentially be used in the biomedical field to hear the sounds emitted by living cells or bacteria, and could also be used in unmanned detectors in underwater and other environments.
The related paper was published in the British academic journal Nature Communications.
University of Queensland Professor Warwick Bowen explained that ultrasonic detectors are commonly used in prenatal checkups and underwater exploration, but past ultrasonic detection technologies were limited by noise interference, resulting in relatively low accuracy. This time, they have used nanotechnology to develop an ultrasonic sensor only 0.2 millimeters in size, which can accurately sense the pressure from extremely small ultrasonic waves, even pressure as small as the weight of a single virus.
Researchers believe this new device will have a profound impact on multiple fields. For example, in biomedicine, it could allow researchers to hear the sounds emitted by living cells or bacteria, greatly enhancing their understanding of microorganisms and helping to develop new methods for treating diseases. Furthermore, in fields such as environmental monitoring, this sensor can significantly improve measurement accuracy.
