A comprehensive robotic model for neural & acoustic signal processing in bats

Abstract

A scale-accurate robotic model of a bat biosonar head which reproduces all known functional characteristics of its biological paragon is being build in the CIRCE project. The heads of bats are a set of intelligent, adaptively controlled sonar antennae, where signal processing is carried out both in the acoustic and in the neural domain. The primary project goal is to identify hypotheses of high explanatory power for the function of these biological systems. The progress report given here outlines involved engineering challenges and explains design decisions in the areas of ultrasonic transducers, antennae shapes, actuation and neuromimetic signal processing.