Researchers from Korea and the USA have created an artificial vision system based on the eyes of a fiddler crab. The results were published a study in July 2022. The novel artificial vision system boasts omnidirectional imaging, with the ability to work in both aquatic and terrestrial environments.

The use of artificial vision systems typically extends from self-driving cars and object detection to crop-monitoring and smart cameras.

Previous systems have been inspired by humans, insects and fish. The former two for terrestrial vision, with the latter influencing aquatic designs.  These, however, are only suitable for the environments they were inspired by and are limited to a hemispherical field of view.

The team stated, “Analysis into the structure of the semiterrestrial crabs eyes, with their ellipsoidal eye stalk and compound eyes consisting of flat corneas and graded refractive index profile allowed the researchers to develop their vision system. This focuses light rays travelling through different mediums to a singular spot by utilising a spherical structure with a flexible comb-shaped silicon photodiode array with an integrated array of flat micro-lenses that have a graded refractive index profile.”

Testing involved optical simulations and imaging demonstrations. The result of these were panoramic images, that were clear and distortion free. These from the compact and portable 20mm diameter spherical mount.  

According to Professor Young Min Song of the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology in Korea, “Our vision system could pave the way for 360° omnidirectional cameras with applications in virtual or augmented reality or an all-weather vision for autonomous vehicles.”