This Bio-Inspired 3D Camera Cracks the Sub-Watt Barrier
Mapping out a 3D scene requires a lot of equipment and computations. Traditional solutions commonly rely on multiple cameras, specialized sensors, or powerful GPUs crunching through mountains of data just to figure out where objects are in space. They work quite well under most conditions, but they are bulky and draw a lot of power. These factors make them unsuitable for mobile applications in wearables or drones, for instance.
A group led by researchers at Northwestern University has taken a completely different approach to 3D mapping that is both tiny and energy efficient. Inspired by jumping spiders, the team has created a system called SpiderCam that borrows tricks from the animal kingdom to make mapping much easier. This technology could ultimately be deployed to miniature, battery-powered devices of all sorts.
An overview of the approach (📷: M. Ferreira et al.)
Jumping spiders have an unusual visual system that allows them...
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