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Researchers Create Artificial Insect Eye

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the fly-spy dept.

maxzilla writes "An artificial insect eye that could be used in ultra-thin cameras has been developed by scientists in the US.The dimpled eye, contains over 8,500 hexagonal lenses packed into an area the size of a pinhead. The dome-shaped structure, described in the journal Science, is similar to a bee's eye. The researchers, from the University of California, Berkeley, say the work may also shed light on how insects developed such complex, visual systems. Darpa is also funding this project with applications expected for digital cameras and high speed motion detectors."

6 of 140 comments (clear)

  1. Tables Turn by d'alz · · Score: 3, Insightful

    So we are competing with nature now. Very soon the blind will have a better option at vision and the rest of us will be scrambling in the dark. That would be a funny sight.

    --
    There is nothing permanent except 'Change'- HERACLITUS,6TH CENTURY B.C
  2. Surveilance! by putko · · Score: 4, Insightful

    If you thought those fiber-optic based surveillance cams were bad, you'll hate these even more.

    Yeah, this will find tons of apps in all sorts of useful places, but at a certain point, they'll be so cheap that you'll have to be afraid that people have hidden them somewhere, and that you are being watched.

    This will be like camera phones, but squared and then cubed.

    --
    http://www.thebricktestament.com/the_law/when_to_s tone_your_children/dt21_18a.html
  3. A bit premature by Fred_A · · Score: 5, Insightful

    According to TFA, "At the moment, the artificial eye is not connected to any kind of imaging device.".

    I understand that whoever made this thing is eager to show it around but shouldn't they actually wait until they have something to show ?
    It's becoming the norm nowadays to announce stuff that's only half done... I don't know if it's to satisfy investors or what but it sounds quite silly.

    "look, we have this great insectile artificial eye !"

    "impressive, what does it see ?"

    "we don't know"

    Well, duh.

    --

    May contain traces of nut.
    Made from the freshest electrons.
  4. Dump the sci-fi by suv4x4 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Why is it that 99% of those articles try to be done with the boring facts as fast as possible and dive into the exciting world of "this may/can/will be used for [INSERT SOMETHING FROM A MOVIE OR SOMETHING THAT SOUNDS REALLY IMPORTANT]" speculation.

    So if a new sort of "no unpopped kernels" popcorns was disovered, we'll have to read how this will lead to us flying to distant galaxies and finding the purpose of existence.

    1. Re:Dump the sci-fi by suv4x4 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      But in case of inventions (or rather tools, as is the case here), if the scientists are doing it at all, they will be doing it with some future goals in mind.

      Correct, but the articles lead many people (see grand-grandparent) to believe the invention is working and the practical implementation is about to happen, which is totally misleading.

      What we get is very small and (in the big picture) insignificant steps to solve the puzzle of bringing an invention in working state to the market, but we get breaking news that we're about to get flying cars every other week.

      People get tired, and start becoming suspicious. Is this what we want.

  5. Re:A Victory for Creation Science!!! by avasol · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Ok so there's the Evolutionists, and the ID:ers, but other than Douglas Adams and myself, who else believes in the lesser known _Un-Intelligent (But Ambitious!) Designer_?

    And that would explain the disappearance of the dinosaurs too. Ooops, fucked it up. Sowwy. We'll have to try again. Let's try Humans this time. Yes... Yes.. Excellent physical design, but brains too unevolved. Let Humans consume the Earth's resources disparately and divide their wealth unevenly until they realize the error of their ways. That should teach 'em! Next up, Vulcans.

    See? Makes everything fit together neatly!