title: A model of ant navigation based on visual prediction.
abstract: A model of visual navigation in ants is presented which is based on a simple network predicting the changes of a visual scene under translatory movements. The model contains two behavioral components: the acquisition of multiple snapshots in different orientations during a learning walk, and the selection of a movement direction by a scanning behavior where the ant searches through different headings. Both components fit with observations in experiments with desert ants. The model is in most aspects biologically plausible with respect to the equivalent neural networks, and it produces reliable homing behavior in a simulated environment with a complex random surface texture. The model is closely related to the algorithmic min-warping method for visual robot navigation which shows good homing performance in real-world environments.
authors.affiliation: Computer Engineering, Faculty of Technology and Center of Excellence Cognitive Interaction Technology, Bielefeld University, POB 10 01 31, 33501 Bielefeld, Germany. moeller@ti.uni-bielefeld.de
authors.forename: Ralf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Möller
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001000:Ants / Q000502:physiology*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D006702:Homing Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D008124:Locomotion / Q000502:physiology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000502:physiology*