Artificial compound eye with adaptive microlenses

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-8964019-B2
Application number	US-201113336075-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 23, 2011
Priority date	Dec 23, 2011
Publication date	Feb 24, 2015
Grant date	Feb 24, 2015

Abstract

An artificial compound eye formed of three layers of membrane bonded to one another in a stacked relationship. A field chamber is located intermediate the two bottommost membranes. A plurality of focus chambers is located intermediate the two topmost membranes, and an image sensor is located below each focus chamber. The field chamber and each focus chamber contain a pressurized fluid medium. The ceilings of the focus chambers function as lenses though which light must pass to reach the sensors. The fluid pressure in the field chamber can be varied to expand or contract the eye between a planer and a domed configuration, thereby allowing the field of view of the eye to be varied. The fluid pressure in each focus chamber can be varied to expand or contract each lens between a planar and a domed configuration for independently varying the focal length of each lens.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An artificial compound eye comprising:
a) a substantially planar first layer of material;
b) an image sensor array mounted to the first layer;
c) a second layer of material having a void and fluid in the void, the second layer bonded to a first side of the first layer, thereby forming the void between the first layer and the second layer;
d) a field pump in fluid communication with the void and a source of fluid;
e) a third layer of material bo…

Assignees

• Zhao Yi
• Zeng Hansong
• Univ Ohio State

Inventors

• Zhao Yi
• Zeng Hansong

Classifications

• A61F2/141 Primary

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• H04N7/18

  Electricity · mapped topic