ABSTRACT:

Modern man-made navigation systems primarily rely on the Global Positioning System (GPS), and other satellite-based navigation systems to provide navigation information for critical life and security preserving navigation applications (e.g., first responders, aircraft). However, satellite-based navigation technologies 1) can become compromised or unavailable for a variety of natural and manmade reasons, 2) are expensive to deploy and maintain, and 3) cannot be used underwater. In contrast, a variety of marine animals use the earth’s magnetic field as an omnipresent sensory cue in concert with their other senses to navigate and migrate across continents and oceans, a feat that parallels the goals of man-made navigation systems. However, the sensory and processing mechanisms that generate these remarkable behaviors remain unknown. This talk will discuss the ongoing efforts of the Quantitative Biology and Engineering Sciences (QBES) Laboratory at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to understand animal and animal-inspired magnetoreception and multimodal sensing.  The laboratory uses an interdisciplinary approach that includes robotics, different areas of engineering, computational neuroscience, neuroethology, and modeling and simulation to understand how animals sense and use the magnetic field to navigate, and learn principles that can be employed to develop the next generation of engineered navigation systems.  To date, the laboratory is 1) analyzing hypothesized magnetoreception navigation strategies, 2) using computational neuroscience to understand multimodal sensing and integration, and 3) studying animal energetics in the context of long-distance migration.

BIO:

Dr. Brian K. Taylor is an Assistant Professor of Biology at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the director of the Quantitative Biology and Engineering Sciences (QBES) Laboratory. Prior to his appointment at UNC Chapel Hill, he was a Civil Service Research Mechanical Engineer with the United States Air Force Research Laboratory. His research uses engineering tools and approaches to better understand biological systems while simultaneously using an understanding of biology to develop the next generation of robust engineered autonomous systems. Dr. Taylor is a triple-alumnus of Case Western Reserve University, holding a BSE (Aerospace Engineering), and a MS and PhD in Mechanical Engineering.

Zoom Info:

Join Zoom Meeting: https://ncsu.zoom.us/j/91480841996?pwd=RGVOdWRJZ1g4MGh1RjJ0Ym8zNk9YQT09

Meeting ID: 914 8084 1996

Passcode: 764658