The design of an analog module for sensor adaptation to changes in ambient light: a bio-inspired solution - biomed...

Fly inspired vision sensors have been shown to have many interesting qualities such as hyperacuity (or an ability to achieve movement resolution beyond the theoretical limit), extreme sensitivity to motion, and (through software simulation) image edge extraction, motion detection, and orientation and location of a line. Many of these qualities are beyond the ability of traditional computer vision sensors such as charge-coupled device (CCD) arrays. To obtain these characteristics, a prototype fly inspired sensor has been built and tested in a laboratory environment and shows promise. Any sophisticated visual system, whether man made or natural, must adequately adapt to lighting conditions, therefore light adaptation is a vital milestone in getting the afore mentioned prototype working in real-world conditions. By studying how the common house fly, Musca domestica, achieves this adaptation it was possible to design an analog solution to this problem. The solution utilizes instrumentation amplifiers and an additional sensor to sense the ambient light. This paper will examine this circuitry in greater detail and will explore the characterization and limitations of this solution.