Researchers have created a new artificial vision system inspired by the cat’s eye, allowing robots to detect and track objects in various environments. The system uses a custom-made optical lens with an elliptical aperture and a novel hemispherical silicon photodiode array with patterned metal reflectors to enhance low-light vision. The design allows for an asymmetric depth of field, improving contrast between the target object and its background. This technology has the potential to revolutionize robotics and autonomous systems, particularly in surveillance and tracking applications.
The feline-inspired vision system outperforms conventional optical systems in various lighting conditions, including daytime and nighttime. It can detect and track objects even in bright light, and its ability to blur the background and focus on the target reduces the computational burden required for real-time analysis. The system’s performance is also improved in low-light conditions, with a 52-58% increase in photoabsorption compared to traditional optics.
While the system has limitations, such as a narrow field of view, the researchers believe that advancements in optical system movement could overcome this limitation, allowing for its integration into autonomous robotics. This technology has the potential to transform the field of robotics and autonomous systems, enabling more effective object detection and tracking in various environments.