Abstract
To better understand the role of natural dynamics in motor control, we have constructed a mathematical model of crawling mechanics in larval Drosophila.
The model accounts for key anatomical features such as a segmentally patterned, viscoelastic outer body wall (cuticle); a non-segmented inner cavity (haemocoel) filled with incompressible fluid that enables visceral pistoning; and claw-like protrusions (denticle bands) giving rise to asymmetric friction.
Under conditions of light damping and low forward kinetic friction, and with a single cuticle segment initially compressed, the passive dynamics of this model produce wave-like motion resembling that of real larvae. The presence of a volume-conserving hydrostatic skeleton allows a wave reaching the anterior of the body to initiate a new wave at the posterior, thus recycling energy. Forcing our model with a sinusoidal input reveals conditions under which power transfer from control to body may be maximised. A minimal control scheme using segmentally localised positive feedback is able to exploit these conditions in order to maintain wave-like motion indefinitely. These principles could form the basis of a design for a novel, soft-bodied, crawling robot.
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Ross, D., Lagogiannis, K., Webb, B. (2015). A Model of Larval Biomechanics Reveals Exploitable Passive Properties for Efficient Locomotion. In: Wilson, S., Verschure, P., Mura, A., Prescott, T. (eds) Biomimetic and Biohybrid Systems. Living Machines 2015. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 9222. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-22979-9_1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-22979-9_1
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