Whiskers

Whiskers or vibrissae (/vaɪˈbrɪsi/; singular: vibrissa; /vaɪˈbrɪsə/) are a type of mammalian hair that are typically characterised, anatomically, by their large size, large and well-innervated hair follicle and by having an identifiable representation in the somatosensory cortex of the brain.

They are specialised for tactile sensing (other types of hair operate as more crude tactile sensors). Vibrissae grow in various places on most mammals, including all primates except humans.

In medicine, the term vibrissae also refers to the thick hairs found inside human nostrils.

Anatomy

Vibrissal groups

Vibrissae (derived from the Latin "vibrio" meaning to vibrate) typically grow in groups in different locations on an animal. These groups are relatively well conserved across land mammals, and somewhat less well conserved between land and marine mammals (though commonalities are certainly present). Species-specific differences are also found. Vibrissae of different groups may vary in their anatomical parameters and in their operation, and it is generally assumed that they serve different purposes in accordance with their different locations on the body.

Whisker (disambiguation)

A whisker is a type of mammalian hair.

Whisker may also refer to:

Science and technology

Entertainment

People

Whisker (metallurgy)

Metal whiskering is a phenomenon which occurs in electrical devices. Tin whiskers were noticed and documented in the vacuum tube era of electronics early in the 20th century, in equipment which used pure, or almost pure, tin solder in their production. It was noticed that small metal hairs or tendrils grew between metal solder pads causing short circuits. Metal whiskers form in the presence of compressive stress. Zinc, cadmium, and even lead whiskers have been documented. Many techniques are used to mitigate the problem including changes to the annealing process (heating and cooling), addition of elements like copper and nickel, and the inclusion of conformal coatings. Traditionally, lead is added to slow down whisker growth.

Following the Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive (RoHS), the European Union banned the use of lead in most consumer electronic products in the early 21st century due to health problems associated with lead and the “high-tech trash” problem, leading to a re-focusing on the issue.