Reeve Richard, van Schaik André, Jin Craig, Hamilton Tara, Torben-Nielsen Ben, Webb Barbara
Institute of Perception, Action and Behaviour, School of Informatics, JCMB, University of Edinburgh, Mayfield Road, Edinburgh, UK.
Biosystems. 2007 Feb;87(2-3):307-13. doi: 10.1016/j.biosystems.2006.09.027. Epub 2006 Sep 10.
Phonotaxis is the ability to orient towards or away from sound sources. Crickets can locate conspecifics by phonotaxis to the calling (mating) song they produce, and can evade bats by negative phonotaxis from echolocation calls. The behaviour and underlying physiology have been studied in some depth, and the auditory system solves this complex problem in a unique manner. Experiments conducted on a simulation model of the system indicated that the mechanism output a directional signal to sounds ahead at calling song frequency and to sounds behind at echolocation frequencies. We suggest that this combination of responses helps simplify later processing in the cricket. To further explore this result, an analogue, very large scale integrated (aVLSI) circuit model of the mechanism was designed and built; results from testing this agreed with the simulation. The aVLSI circuit was used to test a further hypothesis about the potential advantages of the positioning of the acoustic inputs for sound localisation during walking. There was no clear advantage to the directionality of the system in their location. The aVLSI circuitry is now being extended to use on a robot along with previously modelled neural circuitry to better understand the complete sensorimotor pathway.
趋声性是指朝着声源或远离声源定向的能力。蟋蟀能够通过趋声性定位到它们所发出的求偶（交配）歌声的同种个体，并且能够通过对回声定位叫声的负趋声性来躲避蝙蝠。其行为和潜在的生理机制已得到一定程度的研究，听觉系统以独特的方式解决了这个复杂的问题。在该系统的模拟模型上进行的实验表明，该机制在求偶歌声频率下会向前方的声音输出定向信号，而在回声定位频率下会向后方的声音输出定向信号。我们认为这种反应组合有助于简化蟋蟀后续的处理过程。为了进一步探究这一结果，设计并构建了该机制的一个模拟超大规模集成电路（aVLSI）电路模型；对其测试的结果与模拟结果相符。该aVLSI电路被用于测试另一个关于行走过程中声音定位时声学输入位置的潜在优势的假设。在它们的位置上，系统的方向性并没有明显优势。现在，aVLSI电路正与之前建模的神经电路一起被扩展应用于机器人，以更好地理解完整的感觉运动通路。
