Physics

Fabrication

Pathology

Nanotechnology

Image resolution

Optics

Artificial intelligence

Biomimetics

Materials science

Alternative medicine

Retina

Computer science

Human eye

Optoelectronics

Medicine

Nanowire

Nature

Human eyes possess exceptional image-sensing characteristics such as an extremely wide field of view, high resolution and sensitivity with low aberration1. Biomimetic eyes with such characteristics are highly desirable, especially in robotics and&nbsp;visual prostheses. However, the spherical shape and the retina of the biological eye pose an enormous fabrication challenge for biomimetic devices2,3. Here we present an electrochemical eye with a hemispherical retina made of a high-density array of nanowires mimicking the photoreceptors on a human retina. The device design has a high degree of structural similarity to a human eye with the potential to achieve high imaging resolution when individual nanowires are electrically addressed. Additionally, we demonstrate the image-sensing function of our biomimetic device by reconstructing the optical patterns projected onto the device. This work may lead to biomimetic photosensing devices that could find use in a wide spectrum of technological applications. A biomimetic electrochemical eye is presented that has a hemispherical retina made from a high-density array of perovskite nanowires that are sensitive to light, mimicking the photoreceptors of a biological retina.

A biomimetic eye with a hemispherical perovskite nanowire array retina