Page 140 - Biomimetics: Technology Imitates Nature
P. 140
Biomimetics: Technology Imitates Nature
like those in the eye, with a structure similar to
the retina’s neural network. Also as in the reti-
na, these light receptors are connected to oth-
ers, allowing the electronic circuit components
to communicate with one another, just as reti-
nal cells do. 94
Carver Mead
Despite all these efforts, however, it’s
proved to be impossible to imitate the retinal network’s circuitry, because
of the vast number of individual cells in the living retina and the connec-
tions between them. Design engineers, therefore, are now trying to un-
derstand how the retina’s neural network operates and are designing sim-
pler circuits which, ideally, can perform similar functions.
