Position detection with hyperacuity using artificial compound eyes

Abstract

Inspired by the natural phenomenon of hyperacuity, a novel approach has been analyzed that allows to access highly accurate information with an artificial apposition compound eye despite the number of image pixels is small. This is achieved by oversampling of the object space due to overlapping fields-of-view of adjacent optical channels. The first approach uses the knowledge about the impulse response function derived by linear system theory to calculate the position of objects like point sources and edges from the measured optical powers in adjacent channels. Therefore, the implementation of a precise position detection with an accuracy increase of up to 50 times compared to the conventional image resolution is demonstrated. The second approach that is presented, works in a more general way because it is independent of the exact imaging model. With the help of the latter, the accuracy of the position detection of an edge was increased by a reproducible factor of 25. As presented here, the second approach also enables the measurement of a width with sub-pixel accuracy.