In my fictional world I would like to have something similar to modern optical sensors for things such as aiming systems, night-vision goggles and automaton vision.

The main problem I face is developing an interface between optics and the algorithms to evaluate them.

In modern technology one would have an optical sensor, consisting of multiple components that produce an electrical signal representing the vision. This electrical representation can then be fed into a *'black box that figures it all out'*.

In my world however electric circuits are effectively non-existent due to a lack of research and expertise, while mechanical computation (similar to the [Analytical Engine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analytical_Engine)) has successfully been miniaturised and optimised to be small, fast and complex enough to support an effective AI-ruler with a mere dozen cathedral-sized halls filled with calculation banks and stores.

The size or cost of the contraptions required is not important.

The usage of biological components (such as real eyes or well-trained dogs) could be begrudgingly accepted, as long as the systems result in a mechanical output.

*PS: The things I would like to use this for are (with real-life examples in brackets):*

* *Vision enhancement (night/infrared vision)*
* *Vision replacement (prosthetic eyes)*
* *Auto-focus (self-adjusting binoculars)*
* *Image analysis (colour recognition)*
* *Object recognition (facial recognition)*
* *Object tracking (self-aiming turrets)*