EFRI-BSBA: Biology Inspired Intelligent Micro Optical Imaging Systems

EFRI BSBA：生物学启发的智能微光学成像系统[j]: Hongrui Jiang， UWI, Madison；本跨学科研究旨在实现仿生智能微光成像系统。我们选择了六种自然眼睛来提供灵感，以应对这些挑战：相机型眼睛（如人眼）、对位复眼（如苍蝇）、眼阵列（蜘蛛）、非圆形瞳孔（如光线）、反射叠加复眼（如虾）和双中央窝视网膜（如鹰）。本研究将自然视觉系统的有用元素整合到集成的、智能的、不受解剖和生理限制的微成像系统中。本研究的主要任务如下：1)开发集成光场摄影的球形多微相机阵列（MMCA）。这种集成使小型化系统能够获得大景深的全景视频。2)球形微镜盒阵列与球形光电探测器阵列耦合的人工反射叠加复眼的研制。这种集成使高透射率和低色差成像在广泛的光谱。3)开发仿生多中央凹协调软件，作为高效处理视觉信息的通用框架和验证生物视觉研究假设的仿真平台。4)通过计算机仿真和物理实验验证开发的硬件和软件原型。pi还提出了一个连贯和全面的教育和推广计划，其中包括课程改进和发展，指导研究生，本科生和代表性不足的学生（特别是有学习障碍的学生），创建和参与跨学科教育计划，以及向当地社区和公众传播和推广。智力优势：拟议的研究具有变革性和新颖性，具有广泛影响许多科学学科的潜力，包括电气工程、机械工程、计算机科学与工程、材料科学与工程、生物医学工程、眼科学、视觉科学和光学。本研究将增进对比较视觉、眼科学、视觉神经科学和神经生理学的认识，为实现人工视觉的宏伟任务作出贡献。该研究还可以为光学成像和微分析中的微光学研究做出重大贡献，这些研究在医学诊断、生物光子学和芯片实验室技术中具有广泛的应用。更广泛的影响：这项跨学科研究将为大学和K-12水平的学生提供重要的教育机会。取得的成果将导致新课程的发展，并极大地促进多个领域的现有课程的发展，如微机电系统、微传感器、微器件和集成电路制造、集成电路设计、计算机视觉、比较视觉、生理光学、神经生理学、眼科和兽医眼科、电子材料、聚合物物理和聚合物力学。该项目将为本科生和代表性不足的学生提供进行变革性和新颖研究的机会。

ABSTRACT for EFRI BSBA: Biology Inspired Intelligent Micro Optical Imaging SystemsPI: Hongrui Jiang, UWI, Madison;This interdisciplinary research seeks to realize bio-inspired intelligent micro optical imaging systems. Six types of natural eyes are selected to provide inspirations to meet those challenges: camera-type eyes (e.g., human eyes), apposition compound eyes (e.g., flies), eye arrays (spiders), non-circular shaped pupils (e.g., rays), reflecting superposition compound eyes (e.g., shrimps), and bi-fovea retinas (e.g., hawks). This research incorporates the useful elements of natural visual systems into integrated, intelligent, micro imaging systems without anatomic and physiological constraints. This research has the following main tasks: 1) Development of spherical multi-micro-camera arrays (MMCA) integrating light field photography. This integration enables miniaturized systems to acquire panoramic videos with large depth of field. 2) Development of artificial reflecting superposition compound eyes (ARSCE) by coupling a spherical micro-mirror-box array and a spherical photodetector array. This integration enables high-transmittance and low-chromatic-aberration imaging over a wide spectrum. 3) Development of bio-inspired multi-fovea coordination software as a general framework for efficient processing of visual information and a simulation platform for verification of hypotheses in bio-vision research. 4) Validation of developed hardware and software prototypes through computer simulation and physical experimentation. The PIs also propose a coherent and comprehensive education and outreach plan that includes curriculum improvement and development, mentoring graduate, undergraduate and underrepresented students (especially those with learning disabilities), creation of and participation in interdisciplinary educational programs, and dissemination and outreach to the local community and general public. Intellectual Merit:The proposed research is transformative and novel and has the potential to broadly impact many scientific disciplines, including electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, computer science and engineering, materials science and engineering, biomedical engineering, ophthalmology, visual sciences, and optics. This study will enhance the understanding in comparative vision, ophthalmology, visual neuroscience and neurophysiology, and might contribute to the grand task of realizing artificial vision. This research can also make significant contribution to research in micro optics in optical imaging and microanalytics, which have wide applications in medical diagnostics, biophotonics and lab-on-a-chip technologies.Broader Impact:This interdisciplinary research will generate significant educational opportunities for students at both college and K-12 levels. Accomplishments will lead to development of new courses and greatly benefit existing ones in multiple areas, such as microelectromechanical systems, microsensors, microdevice and integrated circuit fabrication, integrated circuit design, computer vision, comparative vision, physiological optics, neurophysiology, ophthalmology and veterinary ophthalmology, electronic materials, polymer physics, and mechanics of polymers. This project will provide opportunities for undergraduate and underrepresented students to conduct transformative and novel research.