Comments on: Do we really know how a Fly sees? http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/05/02/do-we-really-know-how-a-fly-sees/ General interest observations and true web-log. Sun, 12 Feb 2012 14:22:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: J. Colomb http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/05/02/do-we-really-know-how-a-fly-sees/comment-page-1/#comment-138322 J. Colomb Wed, 03 May 2006 10:04:51 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=5216#comment-138322 The neuron wiring of the visual part flies brain was studied and is quite well known: for example we know that they see much more images per second than we do: that is not really estonashing since that animal have to fly around quickly without crashing (which is not easy). This simple neural network was also "reformed" in robots (only by wiring connection) with different visual inputs, mimicking the rapidity of vision and its specific attention to moving objects... Interested? read: A look into the cockpit of the fly: visual orientation, algorithms, and identified neurons. Egelhaaf M, Borst A. In <i> the journal of neuroscience </i>1993 Nov;13(11):4563-74. The neuron wiring of the visual part flies brain was studied and is quite well known: for example we know that they see much more images per second than we do: that is not really estonashing since that animal have to fly around quickly without crashing (which is not easy).
This simple neural network was also “reformed” in robots (only by wiring connection) with different visual inputs, mimicking the rapidity of vision and its specific attention to moving objects…

Interested? read:
A look into the cockpit of the fly: visual orientation, algorithms, and identified neurons. Egelhaaf M, Borst A.
In the journal of neuroscience 1993 Nov;13(11):4563-74.

]]> By: Richard Brill http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/05/02/do-we-really-know-how-a-fly-sees/comment-page-1/#comment-138250 Richard Brill Wed, 03 May 2006 07:59:01 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=5216#comment-138250 Its interesting that the flys brain is dedicated mostly to vision and not other sences. And ditto neuro said it the best part they didn't even see the fly swater coming! Its interesting that the flys brain is dedicated mostly to vision and not other sences. And ditto neuro said it the best part they didn’t even see the fly swater coming!

]]> By: James http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/05/02/do-we-really-know-how-a-fly-sees/comment-page-1/#comment-137894 James Tue, 02 May 2006 20:26:11 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=5216#comment-137894 GROSS!! GROSS!!

]]> By: NeuroGuy http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/05/02/do-we-really-know-how-a-fly-sees/comment-page-1/#comment-137782 NeuroGuy Tue, 02 May 2006 18:46:13 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=5216#comment-137782 Soon, perhaps, they'll scotch tape one of the little devils to the inside of an fMRI scanner, show him some objects (fly swatter? lady flies?), and see how the little brain works. :) Certainly any statement about how flies see is mostly speculation right now, although an optical engineer can comment on potential benefits from a multi-lensed configuration vs. a single lens with more confidence. Soon, perhaps, they’ll scotch tape one of the little devils to the inside of an fMRI scanner, show him some objects (fly swatter? lady flies?), and see how the little brain works. :)

Certainly any statement about how flies see is mostly speculation right now, although an optical engineer can comment on potential benefits from a multi-lensed configuration vs. a single lens with more confidence.

]]> By: Phronk http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/05/02/do-we-really-know-how-a-fly-sees/comment-page-1/#comment-137712 Phronk Tue, 02 May 2006 17:38:56 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=5216#comment-137712 I think this goes deeper than breaking down the mechanical aspects of how a fly's eyes work. If we really want to "know how a fly sees", we have to ask questions about fly consciousness. What the visual experience of being a fly is like. There's currently no way to do that unless we transform our own brains into a fly brain...and even then, we could probably never fully capture the experience of being a fly. Most of vision is in the brain, not in the eye, and fully understanding a fly brain with a human brain is difficult if not impossible. It's hard enough to know what it's like to be another person, let alone a fly. I think this goes deeper than breaking down the mechanical aspects of how a fly’s eyes work. If we really want to “know how a fly sees”, we have to ask questions about fly consciousness. What the visual experience of being a fly is like. There’s currently no way to do that unless we transform our own brains into a fly brain…and even then, we could probably never fully capture the experience of being a fly. Most of vision is in the brain, not in the eye, and fully understanding a fly brain with a human brain is difficult if not impossible. It’s hard enough to know what it’s like to be another person, let alone a fly.

]]> By: Don http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/05/02/do-we-really-know-how-a-fly-sees/comment-page-1/#comment-137706 Don Tue, 02 May 2006 17:32:04 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=5216#comment-137706 I'm not so curious about how a fly sees (except I hope it's the rolled up newspaper I'm swinging at it), but this technology could be the prototype of that cool camera thing Harrison Ford used in Bladerunner. Zowie! I’m not so curious about how a fly sees (except I hope it’s the rolled up newspaper I’m swinging at it), but this technology could be the prototype of that cool camera thing Harrison Ford used in Bladerunner. Zowie!

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