August 12, 201114 yr Electrical engineers have found their muse in the miniature parasitic fly, Ormia ochracea. Its acute sense of directional hearing could revolutionize antenna technology, inspiring research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The females of this small species use their super hearing to track the chirps of male crickets in order to deposit their eggs. The crickets eventually become food for their hatching larvae. Other flies and insects (pictured in this blog) use their antenna for less ominous purposes like detecting air movement and odors.Researchers have designed a proof-of-concept antenna based on the hearing abilities of Ormia ochracea, but there is still work to be done. If they can create a super small antenna that can distinguish signals from all directions like the fly, it could result in more wireless bandwith and better cell phone reception.
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