Science blog

Why do biologists research insect vision and what has this got to do with robotics?

Visual perception biomimicry and the future of robotics

Our future robotic overlords will require better visual systems and navigational skills than robots have now to achieve autonomy. Their foreseen rise to power demands it!

But seriously, if we want to improve robot mobility, we need to study the visual systems of insects [1]. Insects process visual information to perform extraordinary feats of navigation despite their small size [1]. They have a wide field of view with low image resolution, but it is hyperacuity (sharpness of vision) that allows for such precise movement [2]…

200-word flash fiction

“Shut the door!” Amelia shouted at her wife. Tanya hesitated before shutting out the windy day, taking in the sight of Amelia draped over the kitchen table grabbing at strips of strewn paper. A few fluttered to the floor like popped party streamers.
“What’s all this?” Tanya picked up a strip, feeling ill when she saw their daughter’s colourful crayon markings.
Amelia snatched it from her hand. “I’ll put it back together… promise.”
As Tanya watched Amelia collecting the strips, she recalled hearing the paper shredder the night before. Tanya wanted to tell Amelia that she understood…

James Brown-that’s what he’s playing out there in the shed. I assume it’s from the batch of old CDs I asked him to get rid of now that we stream everything. Instead, he just moved them to the shed, with our old CD player he also should have thrown out. I bet if I went out there now, I’d find all the stuff I cleared from the house these last few months. He doesn’t understand how important it is to me to declutter now that we’re both home all day. Space is more important than ever. Minimalism is the way…