Software model of an improved bio-inspired sensor - biomed 2009

Researchers at the Wyoming Information, Signal Processing, and Robotics (WISPR) Laboratories are developing a bio-inspired sensor based on the visual system of the common house degrees y (Musca domestica). The degrees y's visual system has many bene cial characteristics which we seek to replicate. Most notably, degrees ies exhibit motion hyperacuity (i.e., they are able to detect motion much smaller than their photoreceptor spacing suggests). Recent research has shown that this is due to a pre-blurring of the image which results in overlapping Gaussian responses in the photoreceptors. Current biomimetic sensors developed at the WISPR Labs utilize this concept of pre-blurring and have been shown to exhibit hyperacuity. However, this hyperacuity comes at the expense of individual photodetector responses. We have modeled a new sensor that more closely resembles the Musca domestica. It pools responses from multiple lenses rather than a single lens. This allows for increased photodetector responses, adjustable response shape and overlap, and improved motion detection. In this paper we report the results of a software model developed with Zemax optical design software. We show how the model allows us to optimize the shape, magnitude, and overlap of the photodetector responses. Finally, we describe how the optimization is beneficial in the context of hyperacuity.