Bioinspired soft synthetic neurons for visual sensing

• Applicants: Professor Dr. Robert Rieger; Professor Dr. Jan Steinkühler
• Subject Area: Electronic Semiconductors, Components and Circuits, Integrated Systems, Sensor Technology, Theoretical Electrical Engineering ; Biomaterials
• Term: since 2025
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 566666396

Conventional electrical visual sensors lack compatibility with bio-inspired spiking neural circuits in terms of output coding and material properties. We address these challenges by researching soft synthetic bioinspired sensory neurons, specifically targeting a basal form of vision. To achieve this objective, we combine bottom-up synthetic biology and flexible microelectronics, to couple light-sensitive proteins embedded in lipid membranes to electrical readout circuits capable of spike-coded output. This will allow us to realize and benchmark bio-realistic oscillator-based signal processing of light patterns.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants