Flies can help boost robot vision

The robot can utilize the fly's visual system to better locate the edges and borders of objects. This ability can help robots perform many tasks more quickly and accurately than using traditional sensors.

Researchers from the Naval Air Warfare Center, China Lake, California and the University of Wyoming developed the fiber vision sensor inspired by the common fly's compound eyes, Musca domestica. One of the biggest benefits of this design is that it can quickly locate the edges and edges of images. Machines such as unmanned engines, control missiles and high-speed industrial exploration robots can take advantage of this ability to locate small moving objects with high accuracy.

In a recent edition of Bioinspiration & Biomimetics, researcher D. Riley explains how the fly vision system is unique for identifying small objects with high accuracy in a unique way. In fact, flies possess visual accuracy over resolution limits - a trait named hyperacuity. This feature is actually popular in many animals, including humans.

Researchers speak with PhysOrg.com 'Flies have significant tracking capabilities. On the system side, flies have a very fast reaction time . They can react and track much better than untrained humans. However, I suspect that the quality of the rest of the fly vision system is difficult to match. ' Overall, they added, the insect's vision (and its touch-inspired technology) is still much lower than that of humans, probably always.

Each eye contains about 3,000 baby eyes - the main structural unit of the eye - and each eye contains 8 light-stimulating cells.(Photo: photo.net)

The researchers explained that the element of the fly's visual system is more interesting than the sight of each light-stimulating cell in the fly's eyes overlapping the vision next to it, at a rate of up to 90 % Each eye contains about 3,000 baby eyes - the main structural unit of the eye - and each eye contains 8 light-stimulating cells. The main function of photoreceptors is to convert light into ionic currents, which then enter the fly's processing system.

Unlike the popular digital image processing system, the fly system is a variable. Digital systems receive data in pixels and generally require time-consuming, costly processing. The billimeter system helps flies extract the edge of information much faster, and also allows parallel processing. Both of these characteristics contribute to the high-speed and accurate fly vision system.

The researchers designed the sensor to mimic the overlapping light-stimulating cells of flies and parallel processing systems. The sensor consists of 1mm diameter spherical lenses focusing light on a range of light-stimulating receptors, with an overlapping view of about 70%. In the experiment, the sensor can locate a 1mm wire when the wire is moved across the vision about 200 mm from the lens, with minimal error.

Such a high resolution system can be applied to many areas such as health, commerce, industry and defense. Researchers are currently building a 7-eye sensor with seven light-stimulating receptors and hope to expand the design to scale and accuracy.

'We envision this sensor as a support for traditional image sensors in most applications, not replacements. Because Musca domestica has both dual eyes and a very simple eye-catching image, many observation tasks on computers and robots can take advantage of both types of sensors. '