UW-Madison News: Fish-eyed lens cuts through the dark

Contact: Sam Million-Weaver
608-262-2481, perspective@engr.wisc.edu

FISH-EYED LENS CUTS THROUGH THE DARK

MADISON – Combining the best features of a lobster and an African fish, University of Wisconsin-Madison engineers have created an artificial eye that can see in the dark. And their fishy false eyes could help search-and-rescue robots or surgical scopes make dim surroundings seem bright as day.

Their biologically inspired approach, published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, stands apart from other methods in its ability to improve the sensitivity of the imaging system through the lenses rather than the sensor component.

Amateur photographers attempting to capture the moon with their cellphone cameras are familiar with the limitations of low-light imaging. The long exposure time required for nighttime shots causes minor shakes to produce extremely blurry images. Yet, fuzzy photos aren’t merely an annoyance. Bomb-diffusing robots, laparoscopic surgeons and planet-seeking telescopes all need to resolve fine details through almost utter darkness.

“These days, we rely more and more on visual information. Any technology that can improve or enhance image-taking has great potential,” says Hongrui Jiang, professor of electrical and computer and biomedical engineering at UW-Madison and the corresponding author on the study.

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