Development of an artificial vision device capable of mimicking human
optical illusions
Device may enable image processing without requiring software

Date:
November 29, 2021
Source:
National Institute for Materials Science, Japan
Summary:
Researchers have developed an ionic artificial vision device capable
of increasing the edge contrast between the darker and lighter
areas of an mage in a manner similar to that of human vision. This
first-ever synthetic mimicry of human optical illusions was achieved
using ionic migration and interaction within solids. It may be
possible to use the device to develop compact, energy-efficient
visual sensing and image processing hardware systems capable of
processing analog signals.



FULL STORY ==========================================================================
NIMS has developed an ionic artificial vision device capable of increasing
the edge contrast between the darker and lighter areas of an mage in
a manner similar to that of human vision. This first-ever synthetic
mimicry of human optical illusions was achieved using ionic migration
and interaction within solids. It may be possible to use the device to
develop compact, energy- efficient visual sensing and image processing
hardware systems capable of processing analog signals.


========================================================================== Numerous artificial intelligence (AI) systems developers have recently
shown a great deal of interest in research on various sensors and analog information processing systems inspired by human sensory mechanisms. Most
AI systems on which research is being conducted require sophisticated software/programs and complex circuit configurations, including
custom-designed processing modules equipped with arithmetic circuits
and memory. These systems have disadvantages, however, in that they are
large and consume a great deal of power.

The NIMS research team recently developed an ionic artificial vision
device composed of an array of mixed conductor channels placed on a solid electrolyte at regular intervals. This device simulates the way in which
human retinal neurons (i.e., photoreceptors, horizontal cells and bipolar cells) process visual signals by responding to input voltage pulses
(equivalent to electrical signals from photoreceptors). This causes
ions within the solid electrolyte (equivalent to a horizontal cell)
to migrate across the mixed conductor channels, which then changes
the output channel current (equivalent to a bipolar cell response). By employing such steps, the device, independent of software, was able to
process input image signals and produce an output image with increased
edge contrast between darker and lighter areas in a manner similar to
the way in which the human visual system can increase edge contrast
between different colors and shapes by means of visual lateral inhibition.

The human eye produces various optical illusions associated with tilt
angle, size, color and movement, in addition to darkness/lightness,
and this process is believed to play a crucial role in the visual identification of different objects. The ionic artificial vision device described here may potentially be used to reproduce these other types
of optical illusions. The research team involved hopes to develop
visual sensing systems capable of performing human retinal functions
by integrating the subject device with other components, including photoreceptor circuits.

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by National_Institute_for_Materials_Science,_Japan. Note: Content may be
edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Xiang Wan, Tohru Tsuruoka, Kazuya Terabe. Neuromorphic System
for Edge
Information Encoding: Emulating Retinal Center-Surround Antagonism
by Li- Ion-Mediated Highly Interactive Devices. Nano Letters,
2021; 21 (19): 7938 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.1c01990 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/11/211129105626.htm

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