Shrimp could help self-driving cars see better in dangerous conditions

New Atlas (Oct. 11) -- A new type of camera inspired by the eyes of mantis shrimps could help autonomous vehicles better gauge their surroundings, according to a new study from Illinois researchers. The camera – which detects polarized light, or light waves vibrating on a single plane – has roughly half a million sensors that each capture a wide range of light and dark spots within a single frame, somewhat similar to how mantis shrimps see the world. The researchers wanted to “mimic the animals’ ability to detect a wide range of light intensities,” says Viktor Gruev, a professor of electrical and computer engineering at Illinois. Also: Android Headlines (Oct. 11) R&D Magazine (Oct. 11), Interesting Engineering (Oct. 14), Market Business News (Oct. 13), Digital Trends (Oct 15), Electronics 360 (Oct. 15)