An artificial elementary eye with optic flow detection and compositional properties

  • Pericet-Camara Ramon
  • Dobrzynski Michal K.
  • Juston Raphaël
  • Viollet Stephane
  • Leitel Robert
  • Mallot Hanspeter A.
  • Floreano Dario

  • Subject Areas
  • Biomimetics
  • Artificial vision
  • Insect vision
  • Compound eye
  • Motion detection
  • Optic flow
  • Microengineering

ART

We describe a 2 mg artificial elementary eye whose structure and functionality is inspired by compound eye ommatidia. Its optical sensitivity and electronic architecture are sufficient to generate the required signals for the measurement of local optic flow vectors in multiple directions. Multiple elementary eyes can be assembled to create a compound vision system of desired shape and curvature spanning large fields of view. The system configurability is validated with the fabrication of a flexible linear array of artificial elementary eyes capable of extracting optic flow over multiple visual directions.