The engineered eyeball, a tunable imaging system using soft-matter micro-optics

Abstract

We demonstrate a tunable imaging system based on the functionality of the mammalian eye using soft-matter micro-optical components. Inspired by the structure of the eye, as well as by the means through which nature tunes its optical behavior, we show that the technologies of microsystems engineering and micro-optics may be used to realize a technical imaging system whose biomimetic functionality is entirely distinct from that of conventional optics. The engineered eyeball integrates a deformable elastomeric refractive structure whose shape is mechanically controlled through application of strain using liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) actuators; two forms of tunable iris, one based on optofluidics and the other on LCEs with embedded heaters; a fixed lens arrangement; and a commercial imaging sensor chip. The complete microsystem, optimized to yield optical characteristics close to those of the human eye, represents the first fully functional, soft-matter-based tunable single-aperture eye-like imager.

Bioinspired Artificial Eyes: Optic Components, Digital Cameras, and Visual Prostheses

“…e) A deformable liquid crystal elastomer (LCE)‐actuated PDMS‐based lens. Reproduced with permission . Copyright 2016, Nature Publishing Group.…”

“…Mimicking accommodation involves two strategies: (1) using a plastic ciliary body and elastomeric lens, and (2) fabricating a shape‐changeable lens that responds to physical actuation. The first strategy exploits a liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) that can be used as an artificial ciliary body to control the shape of an elastomeric lens (Figure e) . The LCE is a mixture of elastomer and liquid crystal with the ordering properties of a liquid crystal.…”

Mini-Review on Bioinspired Superwetting Microlens Array and Compound Eye

“…Microlens arrays (MLAs) and MLA-based artificial compound eyes (ACEs) play a key role in advanced micro-optical systems (Pan et al, 2007 ; Song et al, 2013 ; Gorzelak et al, 2014 ; Petsch et al, 2016 ; Lin et al, 2018 ). By taking advantages of small size, high integration, and striking optical capability, MLAs and ACEs are widely applied in light-field regulation (Deng et al, 2014 ; Wei et al, 2018 ; Zhou et al, 2018 ; Sohna et al, 2019 ), fiber coupling (Elsherif et al, 2019 ; Liu et al, 2019 ; Orth et al, 2019 ), lab-on-chip devices (Fei et al, 2011 ; Lv et al, 2016 ; Vespini et al, 2016 ), biochemical observation (Ma et al, 2014 ; Holzner et al, 2018 ), laser microfabrication (Bekesi et al, 2010 ; Li et al, 2020 ), solar cells (Chen Y. et al, 2013 ), sensors (Zanella et al, 2020 ), three-dimensional imaging (Li et al, 2016 ; Kim et al, 2019 ; Zhang et al, 2019 ; Joo et al, 2020 ; Qin et al, 2020 ; Zhao et al, 2020 ), and light extraction (Shin et al, 2018 ; Zhou et al, 2019a , b ).…”

A Biomimetic Soft Lens Controlled by Electrooculographic Signal

“…Soft robots which can greatly deform themselves to pass through small openings have also been built . Soft lens, made from different stimuli‐responsive materials, have demonstrated superior performance, compared to conventional glass lens. To enable versatile interactions between human and those soft robots or soft machines, corresponding HMIs are imperative.…”