Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology scientists have been studying a type of sea mollusk, chitons, that have hundreds of sensor eyes fixed in their armor-like shells. According to the scientists, the small sea creatures could be useful in inspiring innovative new building materials.

A kind of chiton, Acanthopleura granulate have hard shells composed of overlapping plates. They are at times known as the pill bug of the ocean, and it is their armor that helps them in staying safe from predators.

Besides, A. granulate also has small dot-like sensor eyes in their shells, made of the same crystalline material known as aragonite, of which their armor is composed of.

The researchers, who have often got inspired from mollusks for building material construction because of their hard shells, are expecting more such inspiration from these unique creatures.

The sensor eyes of the creatures have photoreceptive cells, which can alert them when a predator is approaching from slightly little over six feet away. They can not only see the coming danger but also the material they are made of protecting them against any kind of danger.

The creatures can do two things simultaneously, and this has intrigued researchers into being able to develop an artificial building material that would be able to do more than one function at once.

A researcher said their target would be to use nature’s designs for making improvements in the present engineering technology.