Bioinspired Optofluidic Compound Eye Enables Simultaneous Multi‐Zone Focal Length Tuning and Multi‐Spectral Imaging

ABSTRACT

Artificial compound eye (CE) systems face challenges in achieving tunable and multi‐spectral imaging with high adaptability in dynamic environments. Drawing inspiration from dragonflies and chameleons, this study presents a compact optofluidic CE system that combines multi‐zone focal length tuning with multi‐spectral imaging. The bioinspired design incorporates the complex ommatidial arrangement of dragonflies and the broad functional principle of adaptive optical‐state regulation in chameleons, forming an ultra‐compact, mechanically minimal, and highly adaptable optofluidic CE. The system consists of 61 spatially distributed ommatidia and a microfluidic chamber that enables dynamic adjustment of both focal length and spectral response within 9.6 ms through controlled modulation of the refractive index and absorption characteristics of infused microfluids. Interestingly, leveraging the laminar flow characteristics of microfluids, tuning of focal length across multiple zones and concurrent multi‐spectral imaging can be realized simultaneously, enabling multi‐depth and multi‐spectral imaging with improved flexibility and adaptability. The optofluidic CE was evaluated via neural network‐based image reconstruction, showcasing improved performance in spatial position reconstruction, motion tracking, and environmental adaptation. This platform provides a compact route toward adaptive vision systems, with potential applications in robotics, medical imaging, and environmental monitoring.