From ars technica:
With a single lens, [the human eye] achieves a huge effective field of view (around 120 degrees) with a resolution that might make your Nikon SLR turn in its CMOS chip. The reasons for this can be traced back to two simple features: the eye has a curved sensor surface, and it moves continually in tiny, angular steps. Now, researchers have demonstrated the ability to replicate this in an electronic eye that holds the promise of delivering cheap, small, high-resolution cameras.