Micro Biomimetic Eyeball for Humanoid Robots: A Visual System with High-Density Functional Integration Based on an Origami Mechanism.

Abstract

Rapid advancements in general-purpose humanoid robots have spurred extensive in-depth research on bionic vision systems (BVSs) with human-like ocular functions. However, fabricating a gram-weight miniature artificial eyeball integrated with optical imaging, dynamic field-of-view (FOV) modulation, and intelligent target tracking remains challenging. A biomimetic eyeball system (BES) based on the miniature origami mechanism (MOM) with three degrees of freedom (DOFs) is presented in this study to solve the inherent problems of traditional electromechanical BVSs (large volume and weight). The performance of BES in the FOV adjustment range (monocular exceeding 151.6° × 151.6°) not only precisely matches the physiological characteristics of the human eye but also offers advantages in overall size (Φ23 mm × 15 mm) and weight (1.8 g) over systems reported in current research. This system also performs high-speed movement (saccade, 4382°/s), dynamic imaging (smooth pursuit, 532°/s), interactive control under human-robot collaboration, and active zooming. It demonstrates target recognition, locking, and tracking abilities functionally equivalent to human smooth-pursuit movements in scenarios with active target locking based on visual attention mechanisms. This study overcomes the dual tradeoff between miniaturization and functional integrity in traditional BVSs through the novel visual solution that integrates spatial adaptability, motion compatibility, and cognitive decision-making capabilities.