Dragon Vision Technology Limited

Inspired by the natural compound eyes (NCEs) of arthropods, this project pioneers an artificial compound eye camera—Dragonfly Vision—to integrate a dense array of self-developed light guides within a dome-like structure, impeccably replicating the anatomical structure of NCEs. This design enables a 180° panoramic field of view, real-time imaging, and an extensive depth of field focused to infinity. Compared to NCEs such as those of the bark beetle or glossina morsitans, Dragonfly Vision delivers similar spatial coverage with a significantly faster dynamic response. It can accurately perceive high-speed motion and distinguish between translation and rotation. The compact, curved optical interface breaks through conventional imaging limitations, giving Dragonfly Vision a leading edge for applications in fields ranging from high-speed tracking, surveillance, robotics, autonomous aerial and ground vehicles, to virtual reality and augmented reality innovations. In the future, devices equipped with Dragonfly Vision could be further miniaturised, and be integrated with AI so as to achieve vision-based autonomous decision-making—just like how dragonflies do in nature.

Key Team Member(s)
Dr JIANG Heng (Department of Applied Physics)
Prof. ZHANG Xu-ming (Department of Applied Physics)
Dr TSOI Chi-chung (Department of Applied Physics)
LI Xu (Department of Applied Physics)