navigation

The goal of the project is to develop nanophotonic on-chip devices for integrated sensing and neural computation, inspired by the insect brain.

• 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.

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.

Thesis - Doctor of Philosophy. I inversigated how insects form associative memories in their mushroom bodies and how this impacts their olfactory learning, visual navigation, and time-delayed reinforcements tasks.

Design a sensor that transforms skylight into a compass direction.