Finding the gap: neuromorphic motion-vision in dense environments

Thorben Schoepe (), Ella Janotte, Moritz B. Milde, Olivier J. N. Bertrand, Martin Egelhaaf and Elisabetta Chicca
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Thorben Schoepe: Peter Grünberg Institut 15, Forschungszentrum Jülich
Ella Janotte: Italian Institute of Technology, iCub facility
Moritz B. Milde: Western Sydney University
Olivier J. N. Bertrand: Bielefeld University
Martin Egelhaaf: Bielefeld University
Elisabetta Chicca: Bielefeld University

Nature Communications, 2024, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-14

Abstract: Abstract Animals have evolved mechanisms to travel safely and efficiently within different habitats. On a journey in dense terrains animals avoid collisions and cross narrow passages while controlling an overall course. Multiple hypotheses target how animals solve challenges faced during such travel. Here we show that a single mechanism enables safe and efficient travel. We developed a robot inspired by insects. It has remarkable capabilities to travel in dense terrain, avoiding collisions, crossing gaps and selecting safe passages. These capabilities are accomplished by a neuromorphic network steering the robot toward regions of low apparent motion. Our system leverages knowledge about vision processing and obstacle avoidance in insects. Our results demonstrate how insects might safely travel through diverse habitats. We anticipate our system to be a working hypothesis to study insects’ travels in dense terrains. Furthermore, it illustrates that we can design novel hardware systems by understanding the underlying mechanisms driving behaviour.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45063-y

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