Title :
Flexible Miniaturized Camera Array Inspired by Natural Visual Systems
Author :
Aldalali, B. ; Fernandes, J. ; Almoallem, Yousef ; Hongrui Jiang
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Electr. & Comput. Eng., Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
Abstract :
We report on a flexible microcamera array inspired by natural visual systems. The camera array is a hybrid artificial visual system that combines the large field of view (FOV) of compound eyes together with the high resolution of mammalian eyes. The camera array allows for maximum flexibility and instantaneous reconfigurability to observe a wide FOV. The microcamera array takes advantage of different fabrication techniques including 3-D printing and ultraviolet (UV) liquid phase photopolymerization, as well as utilizing flexible polymers. The array consists of three miniature cameras, each composed of a 1 mm2 stand-alone image sensor and a 0.9-mm-diameter microlens. The lenses were fabricated by utilizing the surface tension of UV curable transparent polymers on Teflon coated substrates. The structure of the array was fabricated using 3-D printing. The miniaturized cameras were connected by a flexible and stretchable polymer. Images from the cameras in the array were stitched together to provide an FOV of 130°.
Keywords :
cameras; eye; image sensors; microlenses; polymerisation; polymers; printing; 3-D printing; Teflon coated substrates; UV curable transparent polymers; compound eyes; fabrication techniques; field of view; flexible miniaturized camera array; flexible polymers; high resolution; mammalian eyes; microcamera array; microlens; natural visual systems; size 0.9 mm; stand-alone image sensor; surface tension; ultraviolet liquid phase photopolymerization; Arrays; Cameras; Compounds; Fabrication; Image sensors; Lenses; Microoptics; Compound eye; flexible electronics; liquid phase photopolymerization; microlens; miniaturized camera array;
Journal_Title :
Microelectromechanical Systems, Journal of
DOI :
10.1109/JMEMS.2013.2284406
