Scientists have developed an artificial eye for robots based on the eyes of bees that will allow robots to see. Rather than mounting multiple cameras, space- and weight-constrained robots could rely on a single, wide-angled camera through the use of a catadioptric imaging system, relying on mirrors and lenses.
According to NewScientist, the setup works with a dome-shaped mirror placed about 20 millimeters in front of the camera’s CCD chip with a lens in the center: “The lens focuses light from in front of the camera onto the CCD to create an image with a 110-degree field of view. At the same time, the convex face of the mirror captures a reflection of the world behind the camera and focuses this light onto the CCD, widening the field of view to 280 degrees.”
According to scientists, a processor will stitch the images together handling about 25 frames per second to create a 2D image of 280 degrees of information. This will mimic the compond hexagonal facets of a bee’s eyes to give a wide-angled shot with a compact image: “This reduces the resolution of the image, but makes it easier for whoever is controlling the robot to interpret the extremely wide-angled view of the world.”
Scientists are examining more insect traits and physiology in robotics. Vision is a key element, but so too are flight stability, power efficiency, and resilience to extreme climates and environments.
Filed in ..