Today's Cat: The function of Cat Whiskers

The domestic cat is a small, typically furry, carnivorous mammal. They are often called house cats when kept as indoor pets or simply cats when there is no need to distinguish them from other felids and felines. They are mostly nocturnal. Whiskers apparently help them to identify nearby objects and catch prey, particularly after dusk.

Cats whiskers are attached to tissues that have multiple nerve endings. These nerves are sensitive to even the slightest movement of air. As a result, cats can detect nearby objects without seeing them which is an advantage in the dark.

Since whiskers are sensitive to pressure, cats use them to determine the position and movement of an object or of prey. Whiskers also help cats to measure the width of an opening before they attempt to go through it.

Scientists are designing robots equipped with sensors that mimic cat whiskers to navigate around obstacles. These sensors, called e-whiskers, should have a wide range of applications for advance robotics, human-machine user interfaces, and biological applications.

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