An artificial visual nerve for mimicking pupil reflex

Summary

Research on bionic eyes is of great importance for neuroprosthetics, biorobotics, and autonomous intelligent electronics. However, implementation of an artificial visual nerve by emulating the architecture and functions of biological eyes remains challenging. Here we demonstrate a p-i-n perovskite optoelectronic synapse capable of implementing excitatory and inhibitory light-mediated synaptic functions. The optoelectronic synapse exhibits a distinct response to visible light at multiple wavelengths (435, 545, and 700 nm). Additionally, an artificial visual reflex arc is established to integrate perception, processing, and actuation of light signals, successfully mimicking a pupil reflex that is adaptively controlled by different muscles (dilator iridis and sphincter pupillae). This artificial visual system simplifies the architecture of an artificial optical nerve, proving the feasibility of emulating complex physiological behaviors involving diverse nerves and effectors. Our work may offer a new strategy for constructing intelligent visual system and sensory neuromorphic electronics.