The University of Tel Aviv has achieved unprecedented technological and biological development in Israel and the world. For the first time, the ear of a dead lobster has connected to a robot that receives electrical signals from the ear and responds accordingly. The result is extraordinary: when researchers clap once, the lobster’s ear hears the sound and the robot moves forward; when the researchers clap twice, the robot moves backwards.
The interdisciplinary study was led by Idan Fishel, a joint master’s student under the joint supervision of Dr. Ben M. Maoz of the Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Engineering and the Sagol School of Neuroscience, Professor Yossi Yovel and Professor Amir Ayali, experts from the School of Zoology and the Sagol School of Neurosciences together with -, Dr. Anton Sheinin, Idan, Yoni Amit and Neta Shavil. The results of the study were published in the prestigious journal Sensors.
The researchers explain that at the beginning of the study, they tried to examine how the advantages of biological systems could be integrated into technological systems and how the senses of the dead locust could be used as sensors for a robot. “We chose the sense of hearing, because it can be easily compared to existing technologies, in contrast to the sense of smell, for example, where the challenge is much greater,” says Dr. Maoz. “Our job was to replace the robot’s electronic microphone with a dead insect ear, use the ear’s ability to detect electrical signals from the environment, in this case vibrations in the air, and, through a special chip, turn the insect input into that of the robot “.
To carry out this unique and unconventional task, the interdisciplinary team (Maoz, Yovel and Ayali) faced numerous challenges. In the first stage, the researchers built a robot capable of responding to signals it receives from the environment. Then, in a multidisciplinary collaboration, the researchers were able to isolate and characterize the dead lobster ear and keep it alive, that is, functional, long enough to successfully connect it to the robot. In the final phase, the researchers managed to find a way to capture the signals the lobster’s ear was receiving in a way that the robot could use. At the end of the process, the robot was able to “hear” the sounds and respond accordingly.
“Professor Ayali’s lab has extensive experience working with locusts and they have developed the skills to isolate and characterize the ear,” Dr. Maoz explains. “Professor Yovel’s lab built the robot and developed a code that allows the robot to respond to electrical auditory signals. And my lab has developed a special device, Ear-on-a-Chip, that keeps the ear alive. throughout the experiment.supplying oxygen and food to the organ, while allowing electrical signals to be removed from the lobster’s ear and amplified and transmitted to the robot.
“In general, biological systems have a huge advantage over technological systems, both in terms of sensitivity and in terms of energy consumption. This initiative by researchers at Tel Aviv University opens the door to sensory integrations between robots. and insects and can make them much heavier and costly developments in the field of redundant robotics.
“It should be understood that biological systems consume negligible energy compared to electronic systems. They are miniature and therefore also extremely economical and efficient. In order to compare them, a laptop consumes about 100 watts. per hour, while the human brain consumes about 20 watts a day.Nature is much more advanced than we are, so we should use it.The principle we have shown can be used and applied to other senses, such as l smell, sight and touch For example, some animals have to detect explosives or drugs, the creation of a robot with a biological nose could help us preserve human life and identify criminals in a way that is not possible today. “Some animals can detect disease. Others can feel earthquakes. The sky is the limit.”
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