A mechanism of insect behavior emerging through a microbrain

本研究的目的是基于生物学和生理学的结果，建立昆虫嗅觉信息系统的模型，重构机器人系统，并对其进行评价。所研究的行为是一种信息素取向行为，雄性蚕蛾被雌性蛾的气味吸引并到达雌性。在本研究中，我们提出了一个由两个元素组成的嗅觉信息系统。一个是天线图模型，另一个是定向行为的生成模型。从嗅觉受体细胞的结构和细胞内的化学现象出发，推导了刺激强度与天线图振幅的关系。这意味着信息素刺激的强度可以通过天线图来估计。同样，利用天线图的波形模板，可以精确地进行检测。实验结果验证了模型的有效性。所提出的动力学模型是基于这样一个事实，即LAL-VPC区域的活动水平，在脑动脉介质中，振荡缓慢的时间常数由神经调节剂决定。该模型对行为进行了长时间的响应。模拟结果证实，信息素在极短时间内的刺激会产生一系列定向行为模式。用这些模型制作了一个小机器人，它在信息素场中产生了行为模式。由于这个机器人到达了15厘米外的信息素来源，它显示了模型的有效性。通过与蚕蛾的行为比较，对机器人的性能进行了统计评价。

The purpose of this study is to make a model of an olfactory information system of an insect based on biological and physiological results, to reconstruct a robot system, and to evaluate it. The investigated behavior is a pheromone orientation behavior of a male silkworm moth, that is attracted by an odor of a female moth and reaches the female.In this study, we proposed an olfactory information system consisting of two elements. One was a model of an electroantennogram, and the other was a model of generation of orientation behavior. Considering the structure of an olfactory receptor cell and the chemical phenomena in it, the relationship between the intensity of stimuli and the amplitude of an electroantennogram was derived. That means the intensity of the pheromone stimuli can be estimated by an electroantennogram. Also using a template of a waveform of an electroantennogram, the detection can be done precisely. The validity of the models was shown using experimental results.The proposed dynamics model is based on the fact that an activity level of LAL-VPC region, which is in an arteria cerebri media, oscillates slowly with the time constant which is determined by a neuromodulator. The model made a long time response of behavior. The simulation confirmed that very short time stimuli of pheromone made a serial pattern of orientation behavior. A small robot with these models was made, and it generated the behavior pattern in a field of pheromone. Since this robot reached a source of pheromone 15 cm away, it showed the validity of models. By comparing the behavior of the robot with one of a silkworm moth, the evaluation was made statistically.