X-UIDL: b9c42ec12b51ee7b5516e97a6ffb80f4
[From Bruce Nevin (980428.2032)]
This summary of findings of Simon Judd and Tom Collett is from http://www.wired.com/news/news/email/other/technology/story/11878.html
--no clue where they are or where their work is published.
Insects Help Robots Grasp the Big Picture
Wired News Report
5:02am 24.Apr.98.PDT
Scientists have fused robotic parts onto insects such as roaches, but now they�re trying to take what they learn from these creatures and translate these abilities into robotics.
The latest research focuses on the ability of ants to navigate around a feeding site. The Electronic Telegraph reports that biologists at Sussex University hope to take what they glean from the ants and improve the way robots feel their way along a route.
Observing the behavior of ants as they travel from their nests to a feeding site, Professors Simon Judd and Tom Collett found that the ants break down the route into segments and use the journey�s destination as a beacon. As the ant passes through each segment, it takes a visual snapshot of the landmarks in the area as well as the destination. While it is possible that an ant could find its way from a single snapshot, the researchers� data indicate that the ants could file away the series of snapshots to piece together their route.
These snapshots help the ants find their targets more precisely �- so they won�t be thrown off by changes in the terrain. The findings are the first to suggest that ants navigate over long distances by breaking down the journey into smaller visual pieces.