Domestic researchers developed a camera system that mimics the structure of insect compound eyes. This technology can capture fast-moving objects even in nearly dark environments. It is expected to have great potential for use in various fields such as medical, bio, and security imaging.
A joint research team led by Professor Jeong Ki-hoon from Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) Department of Bio and Brain Engineering and Professor Kim Min-hyuk from KAIST Department of Computer Science announced on the 16th that they developed a 'biomimetic camera' that enables high sensitivity and ultra-high-speed shooting simultaneously by mimicking insect eyes.
Insects predominantly have a compound eye structure. Compound eyes consist of multiple small units arranged in a honeycomb pattern to form one large eye. This structure allows insects to easily detect fast-moving objects and enhances sensitivity in low-light conditions by combining multiple signals over several hours. The ability for insects to quickly respond to threats from predators is also due to their compound eyes.
The KAIST research team developed a technology that overcomes the limitations of existing high-speed cameras by mimicking compound eyes. High-speed cameras are advantageous for capturing fast-moving objects, but as the number of frames captured per second increases, the time available to accept light decreases, significantly reducing sensitivity in dark environments.
The research team developed a camera system that captures images with multiple lenses over time, rather than a single-lens monocular camera. By obtaining photos from different time periods in parallel and overlaying them, they solved the issues of frame and sensitivity reduction.
They also applied a 'channel partitioning' technology to increase the camera's shooting speed, making it possible to capture images thousands of times faster than existing image sensors. By utilizing a 'compressed image restoration' algorithm, they eliminated blurriness that occurs when overlaying photos, enhancing the clarity of the images.
The biomimetic camera is only 1 mm thick yet can capture 9,120 images per second. It has the ability to capture images of objects that are 40 times darker than traditional high-speed cameras, allowing for clear imaging even in low-light environments.
The research team plans to introduce an algorithm to implement three-dimensional (D) imaging and ultra-resolution imaging, expanding the technology for use in bio-medical and mobile devices.
Kim Hyun-kyung, a doctoral research student in the bio and brain engineering department at KAIST and the first author of the paper, noted, "By mimicking the compound eyes of insects, I confirmed that the camera size is small while demonstrating excellent performance in high-speed shooting and low-light environments." She added, "This opens up possibilities for applications in various fields, including mobile camera systems, security surveillance, and medical imaging."
The research findings were introduced in the international journal 'Science Advances' on the 1st.
Reference materials
Science Advances (2025), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.ads3389