Hearing better with skin than ears: Research team develops a sound-sensing skin-attachable acoustic sensor

Voice recognition technology is increasingly prevalent. It is a convenient technology with broad applications. However, to get the most of its intended functions, users must stand near the device and articulate carefully. What if the skin on our bodies could recognize voices without the use of devices? Professor Kilwon Cho and Dr. Siyoung Lee of the Department of Chemical Engineering, together with Professor Wonkyu Moon and Dr. Junsoo Kim of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at POSTECH have developed a microphone that detects sound by applying polymer materials to microelectro-mechanical systems (MEMS) The small, thin microphone demonstrates a wider auditory field than human ears, while it can be easily attachable to the skin. This academic achievement was recently presented in Advanced Materials.