New basis for Hyper-sensitive mic

["Syd Curtis"]

Of curiosity value, if nothing more, for any of you nat/recs technical
experts, who haven't already read it the New Scientist magazine.

Issue of 30 Sept 2006, p 29:

    "California inventor David Schwartz has filed a patent (US 2006/0182300=
)
on a hyper-sensitive microphone.  Instead of using sound waves to force a
heavy diaphragm to move, it fires a laser beam through a volume of moist
air.  Incoming sound waves make water droplets in the air vibrate, which
modifies the laser beam's strength in sync with the sound - in other words
making it act as a microphone."

Cheers

Syd