WORLD
Researchers build curved insect-sized artificial compound eye
Baku, May 22 (AZERTAC). Vision in humans is achieved by two single-lens eyes and works well for fine discrimination of objects. Most other members of the animal kingdom, however, rely on compound eyes—where each eye has multiple lenses. Such eyes don't provide the degree of clarity of single-lens eyes, but they do offer a larger field of view and quick response times to movement. Scientists looking to replicate the nearly instant response times of flies and other insects as well as their ability to see most of the world around them (without having to turn their heads) have been trying to create artificial compound eyes. While there has been much progress made by many researchers in this area, there have remained two sticking points: creating the eyes of the right size and with an accurate wrapping design. In this new effort, the Swiss team appears to have made significant progress in both areas.
In insects, the eye surface is made up of a mosaic of very small optical units known collectively as the ommatidia. To create a tiny artificial compound eye, the researchers set out to duplicate the ommatidia of fruit flies and other arthropod species. Their version consists of three layers: an outer layer of lenses, a middle layer of light sensors, and an inner layer circuit board made flexible by using a stacked cut design. The result, which the team calls the CurvACE, is an artificial compound eye with a 180 degree field of view and that is small enough to sit on a nickel.
The CurvACE operates at 150 frames per second and is able to operate in either high- or low-light environments. The next step for researchers will be embedding the eye (likely as a pair) in tiny flying robots. The team notes that their new technology may have other applications as well. They suggest "smart clothes" as one example, which could change shape as a person moves to improve comfort. Another potential application would be as security sensors or even as a means for providing texture recognition for artificial skin.