Extracting behaviorally relevant retinal image motion cues via wide-field integration

Insects exhibit incredibly robust closed loop flight dynamics in the face of uncertainties. A fundamental principle contributing to this unparalleled behavior is rapid processing and convergence of visual sensory information to flight motor commands via spatial wide-field integration, accomplished by retinal motion pattern sensitive interneurons (LPTCs) in the lobula plate portion of the visual ganglia. Models for spatially continuous retinal image flow and wide-field integration processing are presented, and within a control-theoretic framework the hover response of a planar rotorcraft is demonstrated utilizing static output feedback of wide-field integration signals. Hence, extraction of global retinal motion cues through computationally efficient wide-field integration processing provides a novel and promising methodology for utilizing visual sensory information in autonomous robotic navigation and flight control applications