Tiny Steerable Camera Inspired by Insect Vision

Innovation: Academia

University of Washington

2020

Image: dy n / Unsplash / CC BY SA - Creative Commons Attribution + ShareAlike

Move in/on Solids

To obtain needed resources or escape predators, some living systems must move on solid substances, some must move within them, and others must do both. Solids vary in their form; they can be soft or porous like leaves, sand, skin, and snow, or hard like rock, ice, or tree bark. Movement can involve a whole living system, such as an ostrich running across the ground or an earthworm burrowing through the soil. It can also involve just part of a living system, such as a mosquito poking its mouthparts into skin. Solids vary in smoothness, stickiness, moisture content, density, etc, each of which presents different challenges. As a result, living systems have adaptations to meet one, and sometimes multiple, challenges. For example, some insects must be able to hold onto both rough and slippery leaf surfaces due to the diversity in their environment.

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Navigate Through Air

Although free from many of the physical obstructions found on land and in water, organisms that move through the air must still avoid hitting each other and objects in their flight path, such as trees and mountains. They also need to navigate from one place to another, which presents a different challenge. They use one strategy to navigate around obstructions and another to move towards their destination. For example, bats use echolocation to detect both obstacles and prey. To navigate during migration, bats also use vision, sun orientation, and likely other strategies.

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Mountable, wireless camera from the University of Washington has a mechanical arm that increases the viewing range with minimal power consumption.

Benefits

Increased maneuverability
Decreased energy use
Lightweight

Applications

Surveillance
Smart sensors

UN Sustainable Development Goals Addressed

Goal 9: Industry Innovation & Infrastructure

The Challenge

Cameras use a significant amount of energy to capture the intricacies of a scene, and as a result are often attached to a large battery or a power outlet. The power outlet restrains the portability of the camera and the battery makes the camera heavy. Small robots and insects are unable to carry these heavy cameras, hindering our ability to capture images and video of insect life.

Innovation Details

The wireless steerable camera can stream video to a smartphone at 1 to 5 frames per second. It is made of a battery, a Bluetooth chip, a camera, and a mechanical arm. The arm can pivot 60 degrees to capture a high-resolution, panoramic shot or track a moving object while only using a minimal amount of energy. The arm was inspired by insects, which oftentimes have a small, high-resolution region in their compound eyes. Rather than moving their entire bodies to look around, they just turn their heads, saving energy while maintaining high resolution and clarity over their entire visual field. All together the camera weighs 248 milligrams, less than a pinch of salt. When attached to a small robot or insect, the camera and arm can be controlled via Bluetooth up to 120 meters away. To save more energy, the research team attached an accelerometer, so the camera only takes images when the robot/insect is moving.

Biological Model

Some insects, such as flies, have an area of high-resolution cells in their compound eyes. In order to see their surroundings, they move their entire head, which is less energy intensive than moving their entire body. Both of these together help to save valuable energy for the organism.

See Related Strategy on Insect Eyes

close up photograph of fly with red eyes

Biological Strategy

Compound Eyes Are Anti-Fogging Surfaces

Compound eyes on the mosquito are anti-fogging surfaces due to small hierarchical structures that create an air barrier.

References

Journal article

Wireless steerable vision for live insects and insect-scale robots

Science Robotics

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