behaviour

We suggest a mechanism that integrates the allocentric velocity of the animal (estimated by the fan-shaped body) and the scene familiarity (estimated by the mushroom body) to a target velocity that drives the behaviour of the animal.

Modelling differential roles for identified dopaminergic and output neurons of the fruit-fly mushroom bodies combined with a novel dopaminergic plasticity rule explains neural and behavioural phenomena in olfactory learning tasks.

• Backward-walking ants can steer using learnt terrestrial visual cues.
• Steering does not require forward body alignment.
• Steering may be based on the integration of attractive and repulsive views.
• Peeking behaviour is triggered in periods of low directional certainty.
• Directional certainty is built on multiple sources of current and past information.

In this talk we present our recent findings of the desert-ants’ celestial compass which uses the polarised-light pattern in the sky to estimate its heading direction.

We propose a new hypothesis for how insects process polarised skylight to extract global orientation information that can be used for accurate path integration. Our model solves the problem of solar-antisolar meridian ambiguity by using a biologically constrained sensor array, and includes methods to deal with tilt and time, providing a complete insect celestial compass output. We analyse the performance of the model using a realistic sky simulation and various forms of disturbances, and compare the results to both engineering approaches and biological data.

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Design a sensor that transforms skylight into a compass direction.

We develop a new foundation for understanding natural learning by developing a complete multilevel model of learning in larvae