AI sensor mimics dung beetle and uses Milky Way for navigation in low light

Researchers at the University of South Australia have taken inspiration from the dung beetle, known for its navigation skills, and developed a groundbreaking AI sensor for navigation in low-light conditions.

This sensor, which can precisely measure the orientation of the Milky Way, could find applications in drones, robots and even orbiting satellites.

The research was carried out by Professor Javaan Chahl and his team of PhD students and was based on the dung beetle’s extraordinary ability to navigate at night using the Milky Way.

A shining example

“Insects have been solving navigation problems for millions of years, including those that even the most advanced machines struggle with,” said Professor Chahl.

Remarkably, this remarkable behavior was first observed by Swedish researchers in 2013.

“Nocturnal dung beetles move their heads and bodies extensively when rolling dung balls across a field. They need a fixed reference point in the night sky to help them steer in a straight line,” said Professor Chahl.

“Their tiny compound eyes make it difficult to distinguish individual stars, especially when they are moving.”

However, the Milky Way, a broad band of light in the night sky, is still clearly visible to them.

Natural navigation

To mimic this natural navigation strategy, the research team conducted experiments in which they mounted a camera on the roof of a vehicle.

They took pictures of the Milky Way both while stationary and while driving.

They discovered that, unlike individual stars, the Milky Way is largely unaffected by motion blur.

This important finding led to the development of a computer vision system that can reliably measure the orientation of the Milky Way even in low light and strong motion.

This new sensor could serve as a backup navigation method for satellites, ensuring their stability and accurate positioning. It could also enable drones and robots to navigate complex environments even in poor lighting.

“In the next step, I want to install the algorithm on a drone and thus make it possible to control the aircraft in flight during the night,” noted lead author and UniSA PhD student Yiting Tao.

Fall of the dung beetle

To navigate, the dung beetle uses the constellation of stars in the Milky Way as a fixed reference point, allowing it to roll dung balls in a straight line.

While many insects rely on the sun and moon for navigation, the dung beetle, along with some moths, has adapted to use the Milky Way when these celestial bodies are not visible.

“And they’ve done it in a tiny little package. Their brains are made up of tens of thousands of neurons, compared to the billions of neurons in humans, and yet they manage to find solutions from the natural world,” Chahl concluded.

The research, published in the journal Biomimetics, underscores the power of biomimicry, the practice of drawing inspiration from nature to solve complex human problems.