A simple strategy for detecting moving objects during locomotion revealed by animal-robot interactions.

ABSTRACT: An important role of visual systems is to detect nearby predators, prey, and potential mates, which may be distinguished in part by their motion. When an animal is at rest, an object moving in any direction may easily be detected by motion-sensitive visual circuits. During locomotion, however, this strategy is compromised because the observer must detect a moving object within the pattern of optic flow created by its own motion through the stationary background. However, objects that move creating back-to-front (regressive) motion may be unambiguously distinguished from stationary objects because forward locomotion creates only front-to-back (progressive) optic flow. Thus, moving animals should exhibit an enhanced sensitivity to regressively moving objects. We explicitly tested this hypoth

SUBMITTER: Zabala F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4638419 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature