---
title: Researchers’ New Camera Was Inspired by Human Vision
date: 2024-07-08T15:37:00-04:00
author: University of Maryland
canonical_url: "https://today.umd.edu/researchers-new-camera-was-inspired-by-human-vision"
section: Articles
---
# Researchers’ New Camera Was Inspired by Human Vision

*July 8, 2024* — by [Georgia Jiang](/author/georgia-jiang)


> Mimicking Involuntary Eye Movements Creates Sharper Images for Robots, Smartphones, Other Devices

*Adobe Stock 224290535 1920x1080 — Inspired by the human eye, UMD computer scientists have invented a camera mechanism that improves how robots track moving objects.*

A team led by University of Maryland computer scientists has invented a camera mechanism that improves how robots see and react to the world around them. Inspired by how the human eye works, its innovative camera system mimics the tiny involuntary movements used by the eye to maintain clear and stable vision.

The team’s prototyping and testing of the camera—called the Artificial Microsaccade-Enhanced Event Camera (AMI-EV)—was detailed in a [paper](https://doi.org/10.1126/scirobotics.adj8124) published recently in *Science Robotics*.  
  
Event cameras are a relatively new technology better at tracking moving objects than traditional cameras, but today’s event cameras struggle to capture sharp, blur-free images when a lot of motion is involved, said the paper’s lead author, Botao He, a computer science Ph.D. student at UMD.

“It’s a big problem because robots and many other technologies—such as self-driving cars—rely on accurate and timely images to react correctly to a changing environment,” He said. “So, we asked ourselves: How do humans and animals make sure their vision stays focused on a moving object?”  
  
For He’s team, the answer was microsaccades, the minute and quick eye movements that occur without conscious thought to help the human eye focus on objects and visual textures—such as color, depth and shadowing.  
  
“We figured that just like how our eyes need those tiny movements to stay focused, a camera could use a similar principle to capture clear and accurate images without motion-caused blurring,” He said.


*Diagram of camera system — Diagram of the novel camera system (AMI-EV). (Image courtesy of the UMIACS Computer Vision Laboratory)*




**Topics:** [Research](https://today.umd.edu/tags/research)


**Tags:** [Computer Science](https://today.umd.edu/topic/computer-science), [Research](https://today.umd.edu/topic/research)


**Units:** [College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences](https://today.umd.edu/topic/college-computer-mathematical-and-natural-sciences), [University of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies](https://today.umd.edu/topic/university-of-maryland-institute-for-advanced-computer-studies)