Advances in sensor adaptation to changes in ambient light: a bio-inspired solution - biomed 2010

Fly-inspired 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 fly eye vision sensor prototype working in real-world conditions. A design based on the common house fly, Musca domestica, was suggested in a paper presented to RMBS 2009 and showed an ability to remove 72-86% of effects due to ambient light changes. In this paper, a more advanced version of this design is discussed. This new design is able to remove 97-99% of the effects due to changes in ambient light, by more accurately approximating the light adaptation process used by the common house fly.