Sonar

Already armed with an impressive sonar system, new research reveals that dolphins have an extra ability that evolves as they mature in the area where their baby whiskers once were. The super sense may help them navigate and find hidden food sources.

When we think of animals that work together to hunt prey, we typically think of creatures such as wolves or orcas. Common bats may soon be added to that list, as a new study suggests that they show each other where the tasty insects can be found.

We all know that bats locate prey in the dark using echolocation, but … is that really all there is to it? Scientists decided to get more details on the animals' hunting process, by equipping them with tiny wearable computers.

Ultrasound technology might be about to get a whole lot more powerful. Researchers have developed an “ultra” ultrasound sensor that is so sensitive it can hear air molecules moving around or the vibrations of individual cells.

So-called "ghost" fishing nets are awful things. Lost or forgotten during commercial fishing operations, they can drift in the ocean for years, indiscriminately catching marine life as they do. A newly-invented tag, however, may help keep that from happening.

A team of researchers has developed a "cloaking device" that works underwater. The new metamaterial shield is able to intercept and bend underwater sound waves, like sonar, around it without scattering them – making it appear as if the cloak and anything within it isn't there at all.

Malware on your smartphone – or other smart device – could someday be used to track your body position or identify your movements within a room. That's the conclusion reached by researchers at the University of Washington, who created a program that turns such devices into active sonar systems.

While just about everyone knows that bats locate prey in the dark using echolocation, one thing that many people may not realize is the fact that horseshoe bats are particularly good at it. With this in mind, engineers are now developing a sonar system that emulates the system used by those bats.

Researchers at the University of Washington (UW) have created an app they claim can detect sleep apnea with similar accuracy to available methods, potentially removing the need for expensive equipment and overnight hospital stays.

Scientists have copied the sonar system used by dolphins to locate prey, to create a type of radar that could differentiate between ordinary objects and things like explosive devices.

A new "Wi-Vi" system developed at MIT can see through walls to track moving people using low-cost Wi-Fi technology.

An Israeli zoologist plans on studying bat behavior by equipping captive-raised bats with GPS, ultra-sonic microphones, and other sensors.