A neuromorphic bionic eye with filter-free color vision using hemispherical perovskite nanowire array retina

Abstract

Spherical geometry, adaptive optics, and highly dense network of neurons bridging the eye with the visual cortex, are the primary features of human eyes which enable wide field-of-view (FoV), low aberration, excellent adaptivity, and preprocessing of perceived visual information. Therefore, fabricating spherical artificial eyes has garnered enormous scientific interest. However, fusing color vision, in-device preprocessing and optical adaptivity into spherical artificial eyes has always been a tremendous challenge. Herein, we demonstrate a bionic eye comprising tunable liquid crystal optics, and a hemispherical neuromorphic retina with filter-free color vision, enabled by wavelength dependent bidirectional synaptic photo-response in a metal-oxide nanotube/perovskite nanowire hybrid structure. Moreover, by tuning the color selectivity with bias, the device can reconstruct full color images. This work demonstrates a unique approach to address the color vision and optical adaptivity issues associated with artificial eyes that can bring them to a new level approaching their biological counterparts.

A retinomorphic neuron for artificial vision and iris accommodation

“…4d). In this work, liquid crystals were used with concentric ring structures, 15,35 and the artificial iris can control the amount of light reaching the retina by selecting the number of rings in the transparent state. The design of the electronic iris based on liquid crystals increased system complexity and power consumption.…”

Nanomaterial-Based Artificial Vision Systems: From Bioinspired Electronic Eyes to In-Sensor Processing Devices

“…6−8 Hence, advanced robotics necessarily leads to an increasing demand for advanced artificial vision systems that even outperform the human vision system. 9,10 The key performance requirements of the robotic vision include accurate detection and efficient identification of target objects. 11,12 If diverse imaging situations under various environments are considered, there is a pressing need for application-specific imaging capabilities of robotic vision.…”

“…Advanced mobile and human-friendly robots, such as unmanned aerial systems, autonomous vehicles, and humanoid robots, have shown great potential to change human lifestyles and bring enormous benefits to society (Figure a) . These robots autonomously navigate dynamic and complex situations, operate within hazardous and unstructured environments, and perform requested roles without human intervention or even replace humans in various scenarios. , A critical enabler for such capabilities is their ability to perceive, interpret, and interact with their surroundings by collecting and analyzing a vast amount of visual data. , The visual data, which include key attributes of nearby objects such as identity, location, motion, and shape, form a solid foundation for establishing the digital-twin system. − Hence, advanced robotics necessarily leads to an increasing demand for advanced artificial vision systems that even outperform the human vision system. , …”

Evolution of natural eyes and biomimetic imaging devices for effective image acquisition

“…For example, imaging technologies have made steady progress by replicating the essential features of advanced vision systems in nature, including the iris (aperture), lens (artificial lens) and retina (photosensitive layer). [23][24][25] However, traditional imaging technologies still have significant scope for improvement in terms of simplicity, miniaturization, and other functional aspects. 26,27 For instance, digital cameras usually have flat photosensitive layers because they are manufactured on planar wafers through the conventional microfabrication processes.…”