Insect–machine hybrid system for understanding and evaluating sensory-motor control by sex pheromone in Bombyx mori

Abstract

To elucidate the dynamic information processing in a brain underlying adaptive behavior, it is necessary to understand the behavior and corresponding neural activities. This requires animals which have clear relationships between behavior and corresponding neural activities. Insects are precisely such animals and one of the adaptive behaviors of insects is high-accuracy odor source orientation. The most direct way to know the relationships between neural activity and behavior is by recording neural activities in a brain from freely behaving insects. There is also a method to give stimuli mimicking the natural environment to tethered insects allowing insects to walk or fly at the same position. In addition to these methods an 'insect-machine hybrid system' is proposed, which is another experimental system meeting the conditions necessary for approaching the dynamic processing in the brain of insects for generating adaptive behavior. This insect-machine hybrid system is an experimental system which has a mobile robot as its body. The robot is controlled by the insect through its behavior or the neural activities recorded from the brain. As we can arbitrarily control the motor output of the robot, we can intervene at the relationship between the insect and the environmental conditions.

Information flow through neural circuits for pheromone orientation

“…Insects steer upwind by using visual information, and visual feedback is important for upwind orientation in moths (optomotor anemotaxis) 26 . Even when domesticated, silkmoths utilize visual information to modify locomotor commands to adapt to perturbations in the sensorymotor feedback gain 27,28 . We next analysed the pathway from the visual neuropils onto the pheromone pathway identified in the present study.…”

Reactive Searching and Infotaxis in Odor Source Localization

“…Such experimental tests of theoretical models are particularly important for applied research as they point out real-world issues and limitations that mere simulations cannot account for. This is true for both studies involving reactive [8] , [26] and cognitive strategies [31] , [32] , as well as for gradient based underwater chemo-orientation using a biomimetic robot lobster [33] . Another example for such studies is biologically-inspired chemical plume tracing using an autonomous underwater vehicle [23] , [24] , [34] .…”

“…This mating race is not only fascinating in itself but also particularly convenient to study the chain linking perception to action, and for the investigation of search tasks in general. The advantages are the rich adaptive behavioral repertoire of insects generated by a relatively simple neuronal system [7] , [8] , a clear instinct-based task, and its suitability for testing and comparing different types of search strategies. Moths, as well as other insects, have developed a specifically adapted behavior, in addition to a specialized neuronal subsystem for the processing of pheromone information [9] , [10] .…”

“…Another example for such studies is biologically-inspired chemical plume tracing using an autonomous underwater vehicle [23] , [24] , [34] . Moreover, the interplay between robotics and insects offers the possibility to investigate the insect's behavior [8] , [35] – [37] while specifically modifying the experimental conditions.…”

Insect chemoreception: a tribute to John G. Hildebrand

“…Kanzaki et al (2013) reviews the use and benefit of insectmachine hybrid systems to promote our understanding of sensory-motor control of pheromone tracking behavior. The contribution by Contreras et al (2013) asks how floral preferences in Manduca sexta are modulated or prioritized by environmental conditions, in particular humidity.…”