Optics-less smart sensors and a possible mechanism of cutaneous vision in nature

Although optics-less cutaneous (“skin”) vision is not uncommon among living organisms, its mechanisms and capabilities have not been thoroughly investigated. This paper demonstrates, using methods from statistical parameter estimation theory and numerical simulations, that arrays of bare radiation detectors arranged on a planar or curved surface have the ability to perform imaging tasks without any optics at all. The working principle of this type of optics-less sensors and the model developed here for determining their performance may be used to shed light on possible mechanisms, capabilities and evolution of cutaneous vision in nature.

[1]  G. G. Stokes.  "J." , 1890, The New Yale Book of Quotations.

[2]  M. Wiener,et al.  Animal eyes. , 1957, The American orthoptic journal.

[3]  W. Chavin.  The Physiology of Fishes , 1957, The Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine.

[4]  M Gardner.  Dermo-optical perception: a peek down the nose. , 1966, Science.

[5]  Victor H. Small,et al.  Human Dermo-Optical Perception: Colors of Objects and of Projected Light Differentiated with Fingers , 1967, Perceptual and motor skills.

[6]  Harry L. Van Trees,et al.  Detection, Estimation, and Modulation Theory, Part I , 1968 .

[7]  James R. Spotila,et al.  Biology of the Reptilia , 1984 .

[8]  G. T. Timmer,et al.  Stochastic global optimization methods part I: Clustering methods , 1987, Math. Program..

[9]  H. Heatwole,et al.  Cutaneous photoreception : a new sensory mechanism for reptiles , 1990 .

[10]  B. M. Fulk.  MATH , 1992 .

[11]  David H. Evans,et al.  The Physiology of Fishes , 1994 .

[12]  J. Pettigrew,et al.  Electroreception in monotremes. , 1999, The Journal of experimental biology.

[13]  Paul Bach-y-Rita,et al.  Brain plasticity: ‘visual’ acuity of blind persons via the tongue , 2001, Brain Research.

[14]  H. V. Trees.  Detection, Estimation, And Modulation Theory , 2001 .

[15]  Andrew R. Parker,et al.  In The Blink Of An Eye , 2003 .

[16]  Paul Bach-y-Rita,et al.  Seeing with the Brain , 2003, Int. J. Hum. Comput. Interact..

[17]  Leonid Yaroslavsky,et al.  Digital Holography and Digital Image Processing , 2004, Springer US.

[18]  W. Gehring,et al.  New perspectives on eye development and the evolution of eyes and photoreceptors. , 2005, The Journal of heredity.

[19]  Ivan R. Schwab.  No end in sight , 2005, British Journal of Ophthalmology.

[20]  Paul Friedel,et al.  Snake's perspective on heat: reconstruction of input using an imperfect detection system. , 2006, Physical review letters.

[21]  Almut Kelber,et al.  A functional analysis of compound eye evolution. , 2007, Arthropod structure & development.

[22]  L. P. Yaroslavsky,et al.  Brainy light sensors with no diffraction limitations , 2007 .

[23]  Leonid P. Yaroslavsky,et al.  Flat Accurate Nonimaging Point Locator , 2007 .

[24]  Leonid P. Yaroslavsky.  Digital Computational Imaging , 2008 .

[25]  Detlev Arendt,et al.  Eye Evolution: The Blurry Beginning , 2008, Current Biology.

[26]  Ari T. Friberg,et al.  Advances In Information Optics And Photonics , 2009 .

[27]  T. Maung.  on in C , 2010 .

[28]  M. Melamed.  Detection , 2021, SETI: Astronomy as a Contact Sport.

[29]  Z. Palmowski.  in a , 2000 .