Robotics are on the rise—and so too are the technological innovations that enable them. A research project aims to create a vision system with a unique shape and reflective surface. Think, cat eyes on your robots.
The researchers at GIST (Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology) recognized a challenge: autonomous systems often struggle to see well in different environments. Bright sunlight, low light, and objects that blend into backgrounds are difficult for drones, self-driving cars, and robots.
Enter nature’s solution to the problem: cat eyes. Cats can often see well in both bright light and darkness. In the day, vertical slit-shaped pupils help them focus and reduce glare. At night, their pupils widen to let in more light, and a reflective layer called the tapetum lucidum boosts their night vision, giving their eyes that glow.
Thus, the researchers at GIST created a new vision system that uses an advanced lens and sensors inspired by feline eyes. Imagine how a cat’s pupil looks and then you might understand how the system includes a slit-like aperture.
Here is how this can help:
- Enhance object detection in different lighting conditions.
- Filters unnecessary details and improves the performance of single-lens cameras.
- Energy-efficient approach relies on the design of the lens rather than additional computer processing.
Research on this technology was published last fall, but the bottomline is we will continue to see new advances aimed at making our devices smarter. Continue to keep an eye on the research and development market, as new innovations continue to come to market in the year ahead.