How Do Spiders Turn Their Heads?
WouterIt’s well known that spiders have telescope-like eyes, but what does their vision look like? The eight-eyed jumping spider has a near 360-degree view of the world.
These enigmatic creatures are captivating to arachnophobes. Researchers have already developed depth sensors inspired by the jumping spiders’ eye system. They are used in video games and cars. However, the ability to see such deep and far-reaching information may open up new possibilities for robotics designers.
A study by Harvard researcher Massimo de Agro explores how spiders use their retinas to detect moving objects. He based his experiments on work by Dzimirski and colleagues.
The spider has two large front eyes. These, together with the secondary eye on its cephalothorax, have a small field of vision. The other secondary eye is situated on the side. Combined with the spider’s excellent vision, these two pairs of eyes enable the spider to spot prey and potential predators.
An anterior lateral pair of eyes is particularly good at detecting motion. They have a rougher scale than the principal eyes and are thought to serve as a directing mechanism for the principal eye.
In addition to their primary and secondary eyes, the jumping spider has three pairs of smaller peepers on each side of its head. These peepers help the spider to detect the direction of moving objects.
The X-shaped field of vision that the spider uses to scan its environment has been filmed and studied. Scientists can now peer into the eyes of the jumping spider and determine where light travels and how to map its visual system.
