Inertial Sensing in Insects: Are Multiple Inertial Measurement Units Involved in Flight Control

Abstract

This effort is part of a multi-pronged project aimed at understanding the role of mechanosensory information processing for insect flight control. Little is known about the mechanosensory information coming from wings, legs, abdomen, antennae, and head motions, or how it is used. We focused on two mechanosensory systems: (1) distributed wing strain sensors (campaniform sensilla) and (2) abdominal proprioceptive input. The former sensors were a subject of some preliminary research using behavioral studies, intracellular recording methods, and both light and electron microscopy. The latter subject is, as far as we know, unexplored and there is no clear literature on this topic. Both systems are best described as sensing actuators (i.e., sensuators) that both direct changes in the body trajectory and report changes in the body trajectory.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 01, 2017
Accession Number
AD1070827

Entities

People

  • Thomas L. Daniel

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Autonomy
  • Sensors
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Actuators
  • Air Force
  • Air Force Research Laboratories
  • Animal Structures
  • Computational Science
  • Detectors
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Electron Microscopy
  • Government Procurement
  • Governments
  • Inertial Measurement Units
  • Information Processing
  • Lepidoptera
  • Literature
  • Measurement
  • Robotics
  • Trajectories

Readers

  • Robotics and Automation.
  • Vector-Borne Disease and Entomology

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics
  • Microelectronics - Microelectromechanical Systems