A smart visual micro-sensor

This article describes a smart VLSI micro-sensor inspired by early visual processing of insects. The chip serves as a real-time visual micro-sensor; it accepts a time-varying optical image and provides outputs indicating direction of motion, bearing, and speed of objects in the environment. The chip has been fabricated and tested. It was initially designed for autonomous robot navigation, but it can be used in other applications such as smart cameras, smart rear vision mirrors, and smart bumper bars for collision avoidance.<>