Utility and Feasibility of a Center Surround Event Camera

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel center-surround event camera that mimics biological retinas, reducing redundant data and enhancing high-frequency event detection for more efficient and informative visual sensing.

Contribution

It presents a practical implementation of a center-surround DVS using polysilicon resistors, demonstrating improved event filtering and energy efficiency.

Findings

Reduces low-frequency event noise

Amplifies high-frequency spatiotemporal events

Potential for energy-efficient vision systems

Abstract

Standard dynamic vision sensor (DVS) event cameras output a stream of spatially-independent log-intensity brightness change events so they cannot suppress spatial redundancy. Nearly all biological retinas use an antagonistic center-surround organization. This paper proposes a practical method of implementing a compact, energy-efficient Center Surround DVS (CSDVS) with a surround smoothing network that uses compact polysilicon resistors for lateral resistance. The paper includes behavioral simulation results for the CSDVS (see sites.google.com/view/csdvs/home). The CSDVS would significantly reduce events caused by low spatial frequencies, but amplify the informative high frequency spatiotemporal events.