Autonomous mobile robots are euipped with navegation systems composed of several mechanical tools and sensors. All these systems, however, have substantial power and space requirements. Robotic sensors derived from insects may provide lower cost solutions by saving batteries and mount space. We are therefore aiming to develop an insect-mimetic visual sensor using a light-sensitive protein found in a bacterial cell and applying it to robot vision. Patterned photosensors using a light-ensitive protein can detect the speed and direction of a moving light spot allowing for improvements in robotic sensors.

doi:10.1117/2.1201212.004599