Biomimetic robot lobster performs chemo-orientation in turbulence using a pair of spatially separated sensors: Progress and challenges

Lobsters are capable of tracking turbulent plumes to their sources faster than can be accomplished by estimating a spatial gradient from time-averaging the concentration signal. We have used RoboLobster, a biomimetic robot lobster to investigate biologically scaled chemotaxis algorithms using two po...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inRobotics and autonomous systems Vol. 30; no. 1; pp. 115 - 131
Main Authors Grasso, Frank W, Consi, Thomas R, Mountain, David C, Atema, Jelle
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Elsevier B.V 01.01.2000
Subjects
Biomimic
Chemo-orientation
Lobster
Turbulence
Turbulence
Lobster
Biomimic
Chemo-orientation
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Summary:Lobsters are capable of tracking turbulent plumes to their sources faster than can be accomplished by estimating a spatial gradient from time-averaging the concentration signal. We have used RoboLobster, a biomimetic robot lobster to investigate biologically scaled chemotaxis algorithms using two point concentration sampling to track a statistically characterized turbulent plume. Our results identify the range of effectiveness of these algorithms and, with studies of lobster behavior, suggest effective strategies beyond this range. They suggest that a lobster’s chemo-orientation strategy entails an unidentified means of dealing with the intermittency of the concentration signal. Extensions of these algorithms likely to improve are discussed.
ISSN:0921-8890
1872-793X
DOI:10.1016/S0921-8890(99)00068-8