Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Focusing of Light in the Eye

Focusing of Light in the Eye

Light rays enter the eye through the cornea, a transparent dome-shaped tissue that is the eye's outermost layer. The cornea bends or refracts, light rays traveling to the pupil. The shape of the cornea determines how much of the light is bent and whether the image will be focused correctly on the retina at the back of the eye. Once the light has passed through both refraction layers, it converges into a single focal point onto a small area. This is where photoreceptors start transforming...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Refined <i>in vivo</i> model for bone regeneration: insights into scaffold architecture and porosity.

Frontiers in bioengineering and biotechnology·2026

Same author

Microbial-Responsive Wound Dressings Based on Biopolymer Degradation Strategy for Detecting Bacterial Infections.

ACS applied materials & interfaces·2026

Same author

Smart antimicrobial wound dressings based on mechanically and biologically tuneable hybrid films.

Journal of materials chemistry. B·2025

Same author

High-performance protocol for ultra-short DNA sequencing using Oxford Nanopore Technology (ONT).

PloS one·2025

Same author

Harnessing huge data from pregnancy natural experiments.

Science advances·2025

Same author

High-Performance, Easy-to-Fabricate, Nanocomposite Heater for Life Sciences and Biomedical Applications.

Polymers·2024

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 8, 2026

Microfabrication of Implantable Optics Integrated in a Microstructured Imaging Window for Advanced In Vivo Imaging

Microfabrication of Implantable Optics Integrated in a Microstructured Imaging Window for Advanced In Vivo Imaging

Published on: April 11, 2025

Tuneable bioinspired lens.

Jérôme Charmet¹, Rupert Barton, Michelle Oyen

¹Nanoscience Centre, University of Cambridge, 11 JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0FF, UK.

Bioinspiration & Biomimetics

|June 30, 2015

Summary

This study presents a novel bioinspired liquid lens that mimics vertebrate eye lenses for tunable focus. The lens offers a wide focal length range, making it a promising alternative to conventional lenses.

Area of Science:

Biomimetics
Optics
Materials Science

Background:

Conventional lenses often require complex mechanical parts for focus adjustment.
Bioinspired lenses offer a promising avenue for miniaturized, tunable optical systems.
The vertebrate lens provides a natural model for curvature-driven focusing.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop and characterize a bioinspired liquid lens mimicking vertebrate lens actuation.
To evaluate the lens's tunable focal length capabilities.
To explore potential improvements for enhanced optical performance.

Main Methods:

A liquid lens was encapsulated within a transparent polymer membrane.
Radial strain was applied to the membrane to alter the lens curvature.

More Related Videos

Design and Characterization Methodology for Efficient Wide Range Tunable MEMS Filters

Design and Characterization Methodology for Efficient Wide Range Tunable MEMS Filters

Published on: February 4, 2018

Simulating the Mechanics of Lens Accommodation via a Manual Lens Stretcher

Simulating the Mechanics of Lens Accommodation via a Manual Lens Stretcher

Published on: February 23, 2018

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Apr 8, 2026

Microfabrication of Implantable Optics Integrated in a Microstructured Imaging Window for Advanced In Vivo Imaging

Microfabrication of Implantable Optics Integrated in a Microstructured Imaging Window for Advanced In Vivo Imaging

Published on: April 11, 2025

Design and Characterization Methodology for Efficient Wide Range Tunable MEMS Filters

Design and Characterization Methodology for Efficient Wide Range Tunable MEMS Filters

Published on: February 4, 2018

Simulating the Mechanics of Lens Accommodation via a Manual Lens Stretcher

Simulating the Mechanics of Lens Accommodation via a Manual Lens Stretcher

Published on: February 23, 2018

Focal length was measured at varying strain levels.

Main Results:

The bioinspired lens demonstrated tunable focal length by changing curvature.
The unstrained focal length was 50 mm, increasing to 100 mm at 0.67% radial strain.
The achieved focal length range is competitive with biological and other biomimetic lenses.

Conclusions:

The developed liquid lens successfully mimics vertebrate lens function for tunable focus.
The lens presents a viable, miniaturized alternative to conventional tunable lenses.
Further research can optimize lens quality and expand its focal length range.