Published in Physics World, 16 Jul 2010
Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US have created a new generation of fibres that, they claim, can both detect and produce sound. The fibres, which contain a tree-ring structure of piezoelectrics, electrodes and polymers, could have a range of applications that include medical imagers and microphones weaved into clothing.
Conventional fibre optics, which transmit light across their length through a process of total internal reflection, have become crucial for modern industry. Without them, we would have none of the long-distance, high-bandwidth communications that we take for granted today. […]
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