Work

Toward Wide-Field, Extended-Range 3D Vision: A Biomimetic Curved Compound-Eye Imaging System

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: This work presents a biomimetic curved compound-eye imaging system (BCCEIS) engineered for extended-range depth mapping. The system is designed to emulate an apposition-type compound eye and comprises three key components: a hemispherical array of lenslets forming a curved multi-aperture imaging surface, an optical relay subsystem that transforms the curved focal plane into a flat image plane compatible with a commercial CMOS sensor, and a high-resolution CMOS detector. Comprehensive optical analysis confirms effective aberration correction, with the root-mean-square (RMS) spot radii across the field of view (FOV) remaining smaller than the radius of the Airy disk. The fabricated prototype achieves an angular resolution of 2.5 mrad within an ultra-wide 97.4° FOV. Furthermore, the system demonstrates accurate depth reconstruction within the entire FOV at distances up to approximately 2 m, exhibiting errors below 2%. Owing to its compact form, wide FOV, and robust depth-sensing performance, the BCCEIS shows strong potential as a payload for unmanned aerial vehicles in applications such as security surveillance and obstacle avoidance.

Source: Sensors

DOI: 10.3390/s26030901

Authors: Songchang Zhang, Xibin Zhang, Yingsong Zhao, Xiangbo Ren, Weixing Yu, Huangrong Xu

Institutions: Xi’an University, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an Institute of Optics and Precision Mechanics, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences

Language: English

Topic: Advanced optical system design

Subfield: Biomedical Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,137

Funder: National Natural Science Foundation of China