A Binghamton University-led team is using bio-inspired flow microphone technology — modeled on how spiders sense sound through their webs — to develop a dual-sensing ear canal probe designed to detect otoacoustic emissions with greater accuracy and reliability....
No actionable change at this stage — the device is in early-stage development and not yet available for clinical use.
A biomimetic OAE probe with improved sensitivity could enhance early detection of hearing loss and cochlear monitoring, particularly in newborn screening and ototoxicity surveillance programs.
- 01NIH awarded $1.84M over 5 years to Binghamton University for a spider-inspired ear canal probe.
- 02The probe is designed as a bio-mimetic flow microphone modeled on spider hair mechanoreception.
- 03Target application is improved otoacoustic emission (OAE) detection.
- 04Project is in early R&D phase; no clinical prototype has been announced.
- 05Potential downstream benefit for newborn hearing screening and cochlear health monitoring.
A spider-inspired biomimetic flow microphone can improve otoacoustic emission detection in the ear canal.
press releaseunclearNIH awarded $1.84M over five years to the Binghamton University-led team for this project.
press releasesupported- Publication type
- research_article
- Evidence level
- na
- Population
- Not applicable — device development grant, no human subjects at this stage.
- Intervention
- Spider-inspired biomimetic flow microphone ear canal probe for OAE detection
Primary outcomes
Development of a functional biomimetic OAE probe; Sensitivity and specificity of OAE detection compared to conventional probes