
@article {78003,
	title = {Characterizing long-range search behavior in Diptera using complex 3D virtual environments.},
	journal = {Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A},
	volume = {117},
	year = {2020},
	month = {2020 Jun 02},
	pages = {12201-12207},
	abstract = {<p>The exemplary search capabilities of flying insects have established them as one of the most diverse taxa on Earth. However, we still lack the fundamental ability to quantify, represent, and predict trajectories under natural contexts to understand search and its applications. For example, flying insects have evolved in complex multimodal three-dimensional (3D) environments, but we do not yet understand which features of the natural world are used to locate distant objects. Here, we independently and dynamically manipulate 3D objects, airflow fields, and odor plumes in virtual reality over large spatial and temporal scales. We demonstrate that flies make use of features such as foreground segmentation, perspective, motion parallax, and integration of multiple modalities to navigate to objects in a complex 3D landscape while in flight. We first show that tethered flying insects of multiple species navigate to virtual 3D objects. Using the apple fly , we then measure their reactive distance to objects and show that these flies use perspective and local parallax cues to distinguish and navigate to virtual objects of different sizes and distances. We also show that apple flies can orient in the absence of optic flow by using only directional airflow cues, and require simultaneous odor and directional airflow input for plume following to a host volatile blend. The elucidation of these features unlocks the opportunity to quantify parameters underlying insect behavior such as reactive space, optimal foraging, and dispersal, as well as develop strategies for pest management, pollination, robotics, and search algorithms.</p>
},
	issn = {1091-6490},
	doi = {10.1073/pnas.1912124117},
	author = {Kaushik, Pavan Kumar and Renz, Marian and Olsson, Shannon B}
}
@article {83637,
	title = {Using virtual worlds to understand insect navigation for bio-inspired systems.},
	journal = {Curr Opin Insect Sci},
	year = {2020},
	month = {2020 Sep 30},
	abstract = {<p>Insects perform a wide array of intricate behaviors over large spatial and temporal scales in complex natural environments. A mechanistic understanding of insect cognition has direct implications on how brains integrate multimodal information and can inspire bio-based solutions for autonomous robots. Virtual Reality (VR) offers an opportunity assess insect neuroethology while presenting complex, yet controlled, stimuli. Here, we discuss the use of insects as inspiration for artificial systems, recent advances in different VR technologies, current knowledge gaps, and the potential for application of insect VR research to bio-inspired robots. Finally, we advocate the need to diversify our model organisms, behavioral paradigms and embrace the complexity of the natural world. This will help in uncovering the proximate and ultimate basis of brain and behavior and extract general principles for common challenging problems.</p>
},
	issn = {2214-5753},
	doi = {10.1016/j.cois.2020.09.010},
	author = {Kaushik, Pavan Kumar and Olsson, Shannon B}
}
