Adaptive superposition compound eyes for perceptions under distinct light levels

Abstract

Optical superposition natural compound eyes (OSNCEs) allow circadian insects to thrive in varying light conditions thanks to their unique anatomical structures. This provides a blueprint for optical superposition artificial compound eyes (OSACEs) that can adapt to different illumination intensities. However, OSACEs have received limited research attention until recently, with most studies focusing on apposition compound eyes that operate only in bright light. In this work, we accurately replicate the anatomical features and the ganglia adjustments of OSNCEs using lensed plastic optical fibers as artificial ommatidia. As the core part of this work, we implement a spatial approach alongside a temporal approach derived from both hardware and algorithms to accommodate lighting variations of up to 1000 times while still maintaining high image quality such as 180° field of view, minimal distortion, nearly infinite depth of field, and ultrafast motion detection. These adaptive biomimetic features make the OSACE very promising for surveillance, virtual reality, and unmanned aerial vehicles.