Eye-shaped camera is shaped like an eye

Some researchers at Northwestern University and University of Illinois have managed to build an eye-like camera that's actually shaped like an eye. Sure, that sounds a tad unimpressive, but the real contribution of this project is the idea of electronics on a curved, flexible surface. The researchers have developed a mesh-like material that carries the photodetectors and electronic components necessary, and they say the resulting camera has a better field of vision than a traditional camera, in addition to conveniently resembling a human eye. Of course, they're a long ways away from communicating with the brain well enough to make an actual fully bionic eyeball, but the curved electronics could have other medical -- and regular form factor-busting, we hope -- applications as well.

[(Unverified) Posted Aug 6th 2008 8:21PM]

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[(Unverified) Posted Aug 6th 2008 8:23PM]

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[psyclotron Posted Aug 6th 2008 8:25PM]

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[porath Posted Aug 6th 2008 8:34PM]

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[(Unverified) Posted Aug 6th 2008 8:38PM]

no fucking shit, engads

[Wwhat Posted Aug 6th 2008 10:08PM]

Having a dome-shaped sensor is an excellent and long overdue way to adapt to the reality of light's properties and will mean lenses can be simpler and yet have better results, assuming they could make this work on sensors with megapixels that would be good news.
No more purple fringing maybe?
So much of lensdesign is about compensating for making a naturally inverse dome-shaped area of optimal sharpness and concurrency of colors to land on a flat sensor.

As for bionics: I don't think we are even close enough to getting there to even start worrying about the actual design of the bionic eye, also having that green PCB stuck in your eyesocket would perhaps be unpleasant.

[linuxamp Posted Aug 7th 2008 12:04AM]

You hit the nail on the head. Light coming through a lens falls much more naturally on a curved surface than a flat one. Then again, we're flattening it on the screen anyway.

[(Unverified) Posted Aug 7th 2008 1:21AM]

really? thanks engadget

[Generic Posted Aug 7th 2008 4:48AM]

Yo guys, nobody wants to know about specs. From my limited knowledge of electronics and the image on the site, I'm guessing it to be 64 pixels. Not 64 megapixels, just 64 pixels (a thumbnail image). 8 wires from each side, 2 power wires and 2 read wires for each pixel. So we have 8 x 8 = 64.

Correct me if I'm wrong to correct me if I'm wrong.

Sorry couldn't resist participating in all these "Isn't the title a bit redundant?" comments.

[Generic Posted Aug 7th 2008 4:56AM]

c'mon engadget

my posted comment just didn't post and I'm not trying to be redundant

[(Unverified) Posted Aug 7th 2008 8:41AM]

Is this, Powerful Eye's Antonio o_O
:D

[bluknite Posted Aug 7th 2008 10:27AM]

The redundant title is a title that is redundant in a redundant manner.

[bluknite Posted Aug 7th 2008 10:39AM]

The redundant title is a title that is redundant in a redundant manner.

[(Unverified) Posted Aug 7th 2008 5:17PM]

Eye-shaped camera shaped like an eye? Really? You couldn't do better than that??!?