An artificial synapse that mimics human colour vision

Scientists from Tokyo University of Science have created a device that mimics human colour vision using solar cells that can differentiate between different wavelengths of light.

Writing in Scientific Reports, researchers explained that the device incorporates two different dye-sensitised solar cells that can distinguish between different colours with a resolution of 10 nanometers.

Rather than requiring a power source, the device generates its own electricity through solar energy conversion.

The technology achieved an accuracy of 82% when classifying 18 different combinations of colours and movements.

Tokyo University of Science’s associate professor, Takashi Ikuno, highlighted: “The results show great potential for the application of this next-generation optoelectronic device, which enables high-resolution colour discrimination and logical operations simultaneously.”

Ikuno added that potential future applications for the technology could include optical sensors in self-driving cars, low-power biometric sensors for medical use, and portable recognition devices.

“We believe this technology will contribute to the realisation of low-power machine vision systems with colour discrimination capabilities close to those of the human eye,” he said.