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Matched filtering and the ecology of vision in insects

Warrant, Eric J. LU orcid (2015) p.143-168
Abstract

In the words of Wehner (J Comp Physiol A 161:511–531, 1987) who first coined the term “matched filter” in the context of sensory systems, matched filters “severely limit the amount of information the brain can pick up from the outside world, but they free the brain from the need to perform more intricate computations to extract the information finally needed for fulfilling a particular task”. In other words, by matching the properties of neurons, circuits and sensory structures to the characteristics of the most crucial sensory stimuli that need to be detected, these stimuli can be rapidly and reliably extracted for further processing, thus drastically improving the efficiency of sensing. And by “severely limiting information picked up... (More)

In the words of Wehner (J Comp Physiol A 161:511–531, 1987) who first coined the term “matched filter” in the context of sensory systems, matched filters “severely limit the amount of information the brain can pick up from the outside world, but they free the brain from the need to perform more intricate computations to extract the information finally needed for fulfilling a particular task”. In other words, by matching the properties of neurons, circuits and sensory structures to the characteristics of the most crucial sensory stimuli that need to be detected, these stimuli can be rapidly and reliably extracted for further processing, thus drastically improving the efficiency of sensing. And by “severely limiting information picked up by the brain”, the energetic costs that would have been associated with coding superfluous information are effectively eliminated. Thus, “freeing the brain” not only frees it from the need to perform intricate computations, it also frees it from significant (and unnecessary) energetic costs. Not surprisingly, with their small eyes and brains and severely limited energy budgets, visual matched filtering is particularly well developed in small animals like insects. It is most obvious at the visual periphery, in the morphology and physiology of the compound eyes, but remarkable matched filters also occur at higher levels of visual processing. Using a number of case studies, I will show how visual matched filters have evolved for all aspects of insect life, including the detection and pursuit of mates and prey and for locomotion and navigation in the natural habitat.

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Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
host publication
The Ecology of Animal Senses: Matched Filters for Economical Sensing
pages
26 pages
publisher
Springer International Publishing
external identifiers
  • scopus:84960366839
ISBN
9783319254920
9783319254906
DOI
10.1007/978-3-319-25492-0_6
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
8566c408-5ad6-4e5f-b17e-b22e2d6bb212
date added to LUP
2016-09-26 07:03:33
date last changed
2024-03-22 08:23:26
@inbook{8566c408-5ad6-4e5f-b17e-b22e2d6bb212,
  abstract     = {{<p>In the words of Wehner (J Comp Physiol A 161:511–531, 1987) who first coined the term “matched filter” in the context of sensory systems, matched filters “severely limit the amount of information the brain can pick up from the outside world, but they free the brain from the need to perform more intricate computations to extract the information finally needed for fulfilling a particular task”. In other words, by matching the properties of neurons, circuits and sensory structures to the characteristics of the most crucial sensory stimuli that need to be detected, these stimuli can be rapidly and reliably extracted for further processing, thus drastically improving the efficiency of sensing. And by “severely limiting information picked up by the brain”, the energetic costs that would have been associated with coding superfluous information are effectively eliminated. Thus, “freeing the brain” not only frees it from the need to perform intricate computations, it also frees it from significant (and unnecessary) energetic costs. Not surprisingly, with their small eyes and brains and severely limited energy budgets, visual matched filtering is particularly well developed in small animals like insects. It is most obvious at the visual periphery, in the morphology and physiology of the compound eyes, but remarkable matched filters also occur at higher levels of visual processing. Using a number of case studies, I will show how visual matched filters have evolved for all aspects of insect life, including the detection and pursuit of mates and prey and for locomotion and navigation in the natural habitat.</p>}},
  author       = {{Warrant, Eric J.}},
  booktitle    = {{The Ecology of Animal Senses: Matched Filters for Economical Sensing}},
  isbn         = {{9783319254920}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{01}},
  pages        = {{143--168}},
  publisher    = {{Springer International Publishing}},
  title        = {{Matched filtering and the ecology of vision in insects}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-25492-0_6}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/978-3-319-25492-0_6}},
  year         = {{2015}},
}