
A recent Medgadget article noted the development of a new type of “electronic eye” that gives microbots color vision. The technology, developed by a team at Georgia State University, employs a stack of van der Waals semiconductors to sense red, green, and blue light. By stacking them, the team was able to decrease the size of the system. The intent of the research was to create a micro-scale camera for microbots that are able to navigate impossibly small spaces for medical diagnoses, environmental study, manufacturing and archaeology.
Beyond microrobots, the tech could potentially also help the visually impaired via biomimetic electronic eyes or other neuromorphic prosthetic devices.