NCS-FR: Insect-based brain-machine interfaces and robots for understanding odor-driven navigation

Insects have relatively simple neural systems compared to humans and other mammals, and yet they possess a richness in behavioral responses and can operate under extreme energy constraints. The goal of this work is to examine how odor trails are followed by walking and flying insects and how those insights can be leveraged to develop novel biorobotic platforms. Studying insects, therefore, could inspire the development of the next generation of computational algorithms, hardware, and robots that have similar capabilities. To achieve this goal, a repertoire of tools will be developed and used to realize biorobots. In parallel, the biological algorithms for exploration and navigation will be translated into computational and hardware approaches inspired by the brain (i.e., neuromorphic algorithms and hardware). This interdisciplinary research allows for active integration of research and education to facilitate the creation of a new generation of students able to fluidly traverse science and engineering. Aspects of the research proposed will also be incorporated into the upper-level undergraduate and graduate classes taught by the team of researchers at their respective institutions. Components of this work will be shared with the general public through outreach programs such as the annual St. Louis Area “Brain Bee” competition, the annual SciFest in collaboration with the St. Louis Science Center, Science on the TAP, Women in STEM Day, Research Experience for Teachers (RET) and Young Scholar (YS) programs at various institutions, public lectures at St. Louis Zoo and other similar events. The key goal of this project is to develop a comprehensive neuroengineering approach involving the development of novel engineering materials and technologies to monitor neural and locomotory responses in behaving insects, and then replicating these capabilities in bio-hybrid and mobile robotic systems to identify the key components/principles. This entails: (i) developing novel testbeds for studying odor-driven navigational behaviors, (ii) innovation in the design of neural electrode materials and arrays, (iii) development of low-weight neural recording instrumentation (i.e., backpacks) to record in freely moving smaller animals, (iv) creation of tools for perturbing the behavior and/or neural activity, and (v) integration with computational and robotic approaches to develop a minimalistic model of observed behavior. This work will generate a toolkit that encompasses novel electrode arrays for neural recordings, hydrogels for effective neural-electrode interfaces, neuromorphic hardware and algorithms, autonomous miniaturized robots for chemical sensing, and finally genetically engineering tools for a non-model organism. Beyond impact in their respective disciplines, these tools may allow for the usage of insects’ sensory apparatus and processing capabilities for addressing parallel sensing problems in biomedicine and homeland security. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.