Researchers from the University of Queensland have created a sensor that is capable of detecting cancer, with the inspiration for it coming from the deadly sea creature, the mantis shrimp.

The mantis shrimp is not the typical shrimp you order at a restaurant. They are a species of shrimp that lives in warm and shallow water. It grows up to be as big as six to 12 inches in length.

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This type of shrimp is hardly helpless though. It is one of the most vicious predators due to its raptorial appendages on the front of its body that it uses to smack its enemies.

The acceleration is comparable to a gunshot from a twenty-two caliber rifle, with force equal to 1,500 Newtons.

However, apart from these interesting facts, the researchers are drawn to the mantis shrimp's eyes.

Eyes have light-sensitive cells called rods and cones, with the former allowing us to see light and motion, and the latter allowing us to see color.

Humans have only three cones that perceive color, namely green, blue, and red.

Mantis shrimps on the other hand have 16 color-receptive cones. Their eyes are able to detect visible UV and polarized light.

The reason the mantis shrimp's is such an inspiration is that cancerous tissues reflect polarized light differently. The mimicking of the mantis shrimp's eyes will improve the type of technology used to detect tumors.

Justin Marshall, the author of the study, said that they are developing a camera that provides immediate feedback when detecting cancer, and monitoring the activity of exposed nerve cells.

"It converts the invisible messages into colors that our visual system is comfortable with."

The camera has many uses, such as the displacement of invasive procedures, a tool to assist in surgery, and even a wider detection of cancer types.

Commercially, Marshall points out that the camera could change the way smartphone cameras are used, making it a portable personal health monitoring device.

TagsMantis shrimp, sensor, Cancer