Gravitational wave detectors, such as the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO), are designed to detect gravitational waves - ripples in spacetime caused by the acceleration of massive objects. While gravitational waves have been successfully detected, they have not directly detected dark matter.

Dark matter is a hypothetical form of matter that does not interact with electromagnetic radiation, such as light. It is thought to make up a large portion of the universe's matter, but its exact nature remains unknown.

Gravitational waves, on the other hand, are disturbances in the curvature of spacetime that propagate as waves at the speed of light. They are generated by the acceleration of massive objects, such as black holes and neutron stars, and can be detected by measuring the tiny distortions they cause in spacetime.

So, while gravitational wave detectors are sensitive to the effects of massive objects, they are not specifically designed to detect dark matter. Detecting dark matter requires different experimental approaches, such as observations of the gravitational effects of dark matter on visible matter or searches for dark matter particles in underground laboratories.