Inspiration from nature: mosquito eyes. The advantage is high resolution and low energy. It is used in robotics, for medical devices, autonomous vehicles, ... Artificial compound eyes are useful for robotics and other applications that require a camera-like device due to their simplicity and versatility. Drones or robots can use them to quickly scan and image the environment. However, creating an artificial eye is difficult because it requires aligning various photoreceptive and optical components on a curved surface.

The researchers developed a liquid-fabrication process that creates composite lenses that mimic many of the features of a mosquito's eye. First, multiple microlenses are coated with oil droplets surrounded by silica nanoparticles. The lenses are then arranged in a tightly packed network around a larger oil droplet. The structure is then cured with UV light. The nanoparticles also have anti-fog properties, meaning the lens can work in humid environments. The lens has an overall viewing angle of 149 degrees, similar to a mosquito's eye.

The development of compound lenses is challenging due to the need to mimic all characteristic curvatures, along with their functionalities. Scientists can show how the curvature characteristic of nanoparticles, emulsion droplets, and liquid marbles can mimic the hierarchical structure and functionality of the mosquito eye. After polymerization Micro lenses form a monolayer on an oil droplet to create an optically transparent mm liquid marble that acts as a compound lens. They then characterized the optical and surface properties of the composite lenses and found that they reproduced the functionality of the mosquito eye. Simple and scalable methods for creating compound lenses could aid in the development of advanced vision systems. 

Insects, such as flies, have compound eyes, which are curved networks of microscopic lenses. Each individual lens captures an image and the brain then combines them. This allows insects to achieve peripheral vision without having to move their eyes or head. This helps save valuable energy for the organism.

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Summarized by AskNature.org