Dilatant Compound 3179 + Graphine = Hypersensitive pressure detector

December 12, 2016 9:08 AM

Dilatant Compound 3179 (previously), better known to kids young and old as Silly Putty, may finally have a proper scientific use (besides the other semi-proper uses). Add graphene to the polymer, you get a very sensitive electro-mechanical sensor that can measure breathing, pulse and even blood pressure when placed on a person's neck or chest, and even detect the footsteps of small spiders (via NPR; abstract, paywalled article on Science Mag: Sensitive electromechanical sensors using viscoelastic graphene-polymer nanocomposites).
posted by filthy light thief (14 comments total)

If you're like me and this post had you thinking once again about buying a crapload of putty for no good reason I'll save you some footwork and link to this 5 lb. bulk purchase which works out to $20/lb.
posted by komara at 9:15 AM on December 12, 2016 [7 favorites]

I guess it makes sense. We would be able to hear the footsteps of large spiders without help. Off to RTFA.
posted by Splunge at 9:20 AM on December 12, 2016 [4 favorites]

Yes but you'll have to find a way to filter out the false alarms from the cockroaches.
posted by ardgedee at 9:45 AM on December 12, 2016 [3 favorites]

"footwork"

or legwork. whichever. I must have been thinking of spiders.

and their feet.

spider footwork.

spiderdance.

("I played bass in a band called Spiderdance back in the 80s" etc)
posted by komara at 9:48 AM on December 12, 2016 [2 favorites]

We are one step closer to making computers that can jump around and freak out because they think there are bugs on them
posted by JDHarper at 9:52 AM on December 12, 2016 [16 favorites]

I'll save you some footwork and link to this 5 lb. bulk purchase which works out to $20/lb.

Just don't push it off a building.
posted by JoeZydeco at 9:54 AM on December 12, 2016

Do spiders even have feet?
Or do their legs just sort of... stop?

What are feet?
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 10:17 AM on December 12, 2016 [14 favorites]

From the Science Mag abstract:

The resulting composite has unusual mechanical properties, allowing the manufacture of strain sensors that can detect respiration and the footsteps of spiders.

I initially read this as "detect the respiration and the footsteps of spiders" and immediately thought of teeny tiny fitbits that come in sets of eight that you could equip all the spiders in your house with so you could use smartphone app to monitor their steps and breathing.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 10:26 AM on December 12, 2016 [7 favorites]

Much better than Dilettante Compound 3179. It makes a big show of being good for all kinds of things, but in practice, it never gets you very far.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 10:27 AM on December 12, 2016 [4 favorites]

Here's the basics of spider anatomy, and a whole lot more detail about spider parts from Biology of Spiders by Rainer Foelix.
posted by filthy light thief at 10:28 AM on December 12, 2016 [3 favorites]

*quickly trademarks the name "Serious Putty"*
posted by EndsOfInvention at 11:30 AM on December 12, 2016 [10 favorites]

In the 17 surprisingly practical uses for silly putty link it mentions "It can be fashioned into a worm and used as a surprisingly effective fishing lure." I'm genuinely curious about that - has anyone actually done this? And if so what were the results?
posted by Ashwagandha at 12:34 PM on December 12, 2016

...has anyone actually done this? And if so what were the results?

A distastefully rubbery filet that can transfer newsprint.
posted by Splunge at 12:53 PM on December 12, 2016 [7 favorites]

TWO SPIDERS ENTER, ONE SPIDER LEAVES for pressure sensor testing that was supposed to be a two spider comparison.

I can't wait for the "This is what we call grad school" pithy summation.
posted by Slackermagee at 8:58 AM on December 13, 2016