Press and media coverage of the CurvACE project

The CurvACE project attracted attention from both mainstream science media and specialist technology outlets. After the publication of the PNAS paper in June 2013, the research was covered internationally, with outlets highlighting the bio-inspired design approach, the miniature scale of the prototypes, and potential applications in robotics and surveillance.

International Media Outlets

Discovery News

Discovery News covered the CurvACE project as part of their technology and science reporting, focusing on the insect-inspired design and the prospect of compound-eye cameras for drones and micro-robots. The coverage emphasized how the researchers had replicated the optical architecture of a fly's eye at a scale suitable for practical applications.

Gizmag (now New Atlas)

Gizmag featured the CurvACE prototype with detailed coverage of the fabrication process — how three flat layers were stacked, cut, and bent into a curved imager. The article highlighted the specifications: 1.75 grams, 2.2 cm³, and a 180-degree field of view, positioning the technology as a breakthrough for lightweight autonomous systems.

ExtremeTech

ExtremeTech provided a technically oriented review of the research, exploring the optic flow computation capabilities and comparing the CurvACE approach to other attempts at building artificial compound eyes. The article discussed the advantages of the curved geometry over conventional planar camera arrays for panoramic sensing.

ANSA (Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associata)

Italy's leading wire service reported on the CurvACE breakthrough, bringing the research to an Italian-language audience. Coverage focused on the European collaboration and the EU funding that made the project possible.

20 Minutes

The Swiss/French daily newspaper highlighted the EPFL connection to the project, covering the compound-eye research as an example of European innovation in bio-inspired engineering. The article reached a broad francophone audience across Switzerland and France.

Bilan

The Swiss business and economics magazine covered CurvACE from a technology-investment perspective, noting the EU FP7 funding and the commercial potential of miniature panoramic sensors for security and automotive applications.

Specialist Technology Media

AZoOptics

AZoOptics, a specialist publication focused on optics and photonics, provided an in-depth technical review of the CurvACE microlens fabrication process. The coverage examined how the Fraunhofer Institute's micro-optics expertise enabled the production of curved lens arrays on flexible substrates.

DIY Drones

The DIY Drones community — a hub for autonomous vehicle enthusiasts and developers — covered the CurvACE project with a focus on its implications for lightweight vision sensors on small drones. The coverage discussed how compound-eye-based optic flow sensing could enable autonomous flight with minimal processing overhead compared to conventional camera-based systems.

EU Publications

research*eu magazine

The European Commission's research*eu magazine featured the CurvACE project as a success story from the FP7 FET-Open programme. The article highlighted the interdisciplinary nature of the consortium — bringing together biologists, optical engineers, and roboticists — and positioned it as an example of how curiosity-driven European research could produce transformative technology.

View archived research*eu article (PDF) →

Coverage Themes

Across all media outlets, several recurring themes emerged:

• Bio-inspiration: The direct connection between insect compound-eye biology and the engineering design of CurvACE
• Miniaturization: The remarkably small size and weight of the prototypes (under 2 grams)
• Panoramic vision: The hemispherical field of view achieved by the curved geometry
• Drone and robotics applications: The potential for ultra-lightweight vision sensors on autonomous micro-aerial vehicles
• European research excellence: The cross-border collaboration enabled by EU FP7 funding

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