Using Cuttlefish Eyes as a Template For Better Robotic Eyes

In a groundbreaking effort, a group of roboticists hailing from Seoul National University, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, and Pusan National University in South Korea have created a revolutionary robotic eye that functions exceptionally well under poorly lit and unevenly illuminated conditions.

The cuttlefish model

In their research paper, which has been published in the prestigious journal Science Robotics, the team utilized certain characteristics of cuttlefish as a model for their innovative design.

Cuttlefish, which belong to the same class as octopuses and squid, are marine mollusks. With eight arms, two tentacles, denticulated suckers, and W-shaped pupils, these creatures have a unique eye structure that aids them in seeing in murky or unevenly lit environments.

Inspired by this, the team of researchers used the distinctive W shape of cuttlefish eyes as the basis for designing a new type of robotic eye that outperforms traditional cameras utilized in most robots under such circumstances.

To create this revolutionary robotic eye, the engineers utilized a W-shaped pupil attached to a ball-shaped lens, with an aperture separating the two. Furthermore, they included flexible polarizing material on the interior surface of the eye and a series of cylindrical silicon photodiodes to transform photons into electrical signals. After developing the prototype, the team ran several tests to compare their design with the existing robot eye technology that primarily relies on general-use cameras.

The test

The outcomes of these tests were astounding, as the new design detected more details in the test photo than any other robot eye. The team also discovered that the innovative design was more precise in converting the outlines of dimly lit objects into real-world estimates than conventional robot eyes.

According to the researchers, this new design is a significant first step toward the development of robot eyes that can effectively deal with low light or murky conditions and overcome blind spots. These robot eyes could be particularly useful in autonomous vehicles and roving robots.

The team plans to continue their research by exploring cost-effective alternatives to replace the expensive components utilized in their design and developing a tracking capability.

Read the original article on Tech Xplore.

Read more: How One Hospital is Using UV-C Disinfecting Robots.