Intelligent image sensor based on probing the evolution of redox potentials distributed in reaction–diffusion medium

Belousov–Zhabotinsky (BZ) reaction–diffusion medium, considered as a continuously distributed information processing system operating in a highly parallel mode, can be used to process images. A sol–gel method is used to prepare the light-sensitive BZ reaction–diffusion medium, which forms on a circuit board containing 8 × 8 channel matrix platinum electrodes. This medium ensures both reaction running and potential detecting. BZ reaction is excited by projecting an image (input-image) on the light-sensitive BZ medium, followed by the chemical waves’ (output-image) occurrence in the BZ medium. The imaging process in BZ medium is an evolutional one, including image inversion and boundary-enhancement function. Redox potentials distributed in the BZ medium reflect the evolution of the output-image and are detected synchronizing with the image evolution process. The output-image is reconstructed in the form of the distribution of redox potentials. The light-sensitive BZ medium and the potential detecting equipment can be developed as an intelligent image sensor. This system enabled us to open a new way to construct image sensors.