Realistic eyes?

[Botsareus]

So I guess it is getting popular to post early stage DB3 ideas so I have one of my own:

We need more realistic eyes. I just don't see how seeing only ~7 robot lengths in front of you realistic even if we can adjust it.

Any ideas?

I have three. But will share only the most simple one and see where the thread goes:

How about we add a "second layer" set of eyes that see ~49 robot lengths ahead but only return basic logistical info?

[spork22]

That might be cool.

[Numsgil]

Here's what I'm currently thinking:

First, for some background, my current thinking is that each bot is composed of multiple "panels".  This is how I'm going to do things around one bot engulfing another (ie: phagocytosis).  Basically each bot is a simple polygon (possibly concave), and to control its shape it sets the internal angles of the polygon.  The edges of this polygon are the panels.

Among other things, each panel can potentially sense light intensity.  The light intensity is figured out using a simple raytracer (so it will have infinite range in theory, but since light intensity diminishes with distance actual range will be somewhat limited).  So if you're deeper or in the shade, there's less light and you're less visible.  Or if you bioluminesce, you're more visible.  Also, things like shell could change your albedo, making you more or less reflective.

To detect motion, you'd implement something like The Reichardt Hassenstein Model in DNA code.  Basically save out the light intensity values from the previous cycle and compare them to the current ones with some math.  I might provide a mechanism to do this for you automatically, but I'm curious to see if it can be done in DNA, and if so, if it's interesting to do so.  If you want to know distance, you'll need to do something with binocular vision.  If you want a crisp image, you'd need a simple pinhole eye.

Obviously that only gets you very basic "I see something" or "I see something moving", but not really any details about what you're seeing.  Which I partly sort of like: it makes being stationary a potentially advantageous defense mechanism.  If you don't move, and you hide near an inert shape, and you have the same reflectivity as the shape, you're going to be very hard to detect.  If I can give bots the important data like refshell, etc. through other senses, I might do it that way.  Maybe through smell or touch.  I'm still working through the details exactly, and I'm a little ways off from actually implementing any of it, so it may change as I think it through more.  But that's what I'm thinking currently.

[MysticalDumpling]

I like Num's idea.

[spork22]

I do too. Actually, a lot of creatures do that in real life. They hide using larger creatures, which are more likely to be seen by a predator.

[Botsareus]

Lol, that is better then all three of my ideas combined. 

[spike43884]

What about we stop saying 'eyes' and start saying 'vision' ideas. Because in real life, we have multiple ways to see, we could sense vibrations, see reflections of light, or hear things move, or actually use echolocation (I know the bots are single celled, and some of these aren't single celled functions, but eyes aren't single celled are they?)
We then can use one of these methods, or more...each with their ups and downsides. For example, vibrations are very long range, and can even be sensed through shapes...But dissapointingly can't tell what type of bot it is, it can only return the size...and rough location. Then, seeing reflections of light, good allrounder, your classic eye, but it fades with light intensity, close up it can tell lots of infomation, very far away with good light intensity can tell some infomation. Then hearing things move, this is affected by shapes quite majorly, and if its a crowded enviroment for example your an MB then you might get some interference from your pals. Then echolocation, who knows?

Then light be shown up on DB...Bioluminesence is a really nice one
Now when a creature is seen, its 2 widest points then are traced directly back to the hunter, the further apart these points the greater chance that it is visible, or more infomation can be told about it, of course if its far away when these points hit the hunter theyre much closer together. Now if we add smell, thats an idea i've wanted for a while, a trail of particles emitted behind and around a bot (Can be shifted by currents or wind, which may also push the bot a bit?) and these particles can be sensed.

In responce to wanting to know distance, multiple sight mechanisms combined could give you that, OR binocular vision of some form.

Final little point, mildly less related to sight, is MB structuring. It needs to be slightly more developed, can each tie have a POSITIVE and a NEGATIVE end. the person who fires it has the positive end. this would help structuring in a species a lot, but if a foreigner fires a tie at you, you generally know. Also finally, these ties to slowly harden over 20 cycles (maybe even 30) being effected by the tie control commands even from the start....but it slowly incrementing