Integrative Model of Dynamic Facilitation in Insect Vision
Abstract
This proposal relates to small-target motion detection (STMD) neurons found in a number of species of insects that chase prey or mates on the wing. The subject is a form of facilitation that enhances STMD response to targets whose images trace a continuous path on the retina. This serves to increase confidence in the presence of a target, and may play a role in selective attention to single targets. The primary objective is to understand how this response facilitation is implemented in the insect visual pathway. This will be approached by developing a biologically-based model, which will be integrated into a larger model framework for small target motion detection, and tested and refined via neurophysiological and neuropharmacological experiments conducted by a collaborator. The process of formulating and testing specific hypotheses will be carried out iteratively. Conceptually, candidate models will correspond to networks of cells (neurons and possibly glia) that process small-target-related visual signals. Specific biophysical mechanisms, such as neuro- or glio-transmitter release and reception, and electrical or chemical responses in the interacting cells, will be proposed and evaluated. Numerically, models will be implemented as systems of (generally nonlinear) differential equations describing these elements, which will allow evaluation of model responses. The anticipated outcome is a much deeper understanding of a key process that enables insects to solve a task that challenges even the most sophisticated robotic vision systems- detecting, selecting, and pursuing small moving features in visually cluttered environments. This has the potential to impact future military systems in the areas of target tracking and autonomous interceptors. In biology, we speculate it may represent a general processing principle applicable to a broad range of problems concerned with spatio-temporal patterns of sensory input.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Mar 14, 2024
- Source ID
- FA95502310714
Entities
People
- Patrick Shoemaker
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- Salk Institute for Biological Studies
- United States Air Force