By Peter Lloyd for MailOnline
Published: 19:15 BST, 21 May 2019 | Updated: 19:15 BST, 21 May 2019
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Drones and self-driving cars may soon come with 'spidey' senses.
That's according to engineers in America, who believe the unmanned machines would benefit from sensory detectors similar to those often seen in arachinds.
Specifically, they're referring the hairs on a spider's legs, which are linked to special neurons called mechanoreceptors, which flag-up danger through vibrations.
If machines had similar characteristics, they'd be able to navigate more effectively in dangerous environments.
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Coming soon ? Drones could soon be enhanced with a technological equivalent of the sensory detectors seen in spiders and bats, which alert them to potential dangers (stock)
Until now, sensor technology hasn't always been able to process data fast enough, or as smoothly, as nature. But Purdue University's Andres Arrieta is working on it.
In collaboration with Nanyang Technology University in Singapore and ETH Zürich, he's helped to build sensors inspired by spiders, bats, birds and other animals, which sift-out real
