his paper adopts the 3-3-2 information processing method for the capture of moving objects as its premise, and proposes a basic principle of three-dimensional (3D) imaging using biological compound eye. Traditional bionic vision is limited by the available hardware. Therefore, in this paper, the new-generation technology of microlens-array light-field camera is proposed as a potential method for the extraction of depth information from a single image. A significant characteristic of light-field imaging is that it records intensity and directional information from the lights entering the camera. Herein, a refocusing method using light-field image is proposed. By calculating the focusing cost at different depths from the object, the imaging plane of the object is determined, and a depth map is constructed based on the position of the object’s imaging plane. Compared with traditional light-field depth estimation, the depth map calculated by this method can significantly improve resolution and does not depend on the number of light-field microlenses. In addition, considering that software algorithms rely on hardware structure, this study develops an imaging hardware that is only 7 cm long based on the second-generation microlens camera’s structure, further validating its important refocusing characteristics. It thereby provides a technical foundation for 3D imaging with a single camera.
