In overview, the project work programme is as follows. We begin from the assumption that controllable variations in morphology are one set of variables to be exploited in the bat's active perception process. Consequently, a main focus of this project is the development of tools for obtaining detailed knowledge of the head, nose and ear morphology of living bats engaged in ecologically relevant tasks. Combining this morphological data with knowledge of bat vocalisations and movements --- the second set of controllable parameters at the bat's disposal --- during their task-related activity (i.e., search, prey detection, localization and capture) we reconstruct the bat's acoustic experience as it flies through the task. From this data set, we attempt to identify the salient acoustic information the bat uses to coordinate its movements and vocalisations and to what extent the bat controls these to optimise its ability to perform the sensory discrimination required to succeed. The outcome of this last step is a set of innovative computational models explicitly specifying hypothesised mechanisms for determining flight behaviour, acoustic emissions and choices of morphological deformation in relation to the task and the bat's ongoing acoustic experience of its enironment. The final step is to assess the quality and usefulness of these models: first, by an engineer's characterisation of their performance and limits, as examples of engineered embodied active sonar systems; and second, with reference back to failure modes and generalisation abilities of their living prototypes, as working models of the bat's behaviour control processes.

More about the four bat species selected.

Since the methodology is biomimetic engineering, there is a critical requirement for accurate and appropriate biological data. This will be supplied in part from the expertise and experience of the consortium biologists but mostly from new bat experiments carefully designed and focussed to provide the engineering detail needed for the project.

To optimise the outcome of the biomimetic engineering phase, that phase will be run twice with the second round benefitting from the insights gained in the first modelling attempt (an example of a spiral design methodology).

Note that two models are to be constructed in parallel by the two engineering teams. There is considerable common ground since the teams use the same acoustic tools, the same standard models of early auditory processing, and share the same system integration tools for the two platforms. We expect that, despite the very different tasks being modelled, each will to a considerable extent inform the modelling of the other and the common engineering goal of building robust versatile active perception systems; hence the shared workpackage structure.

The choice of prototype species for the trawling bat model will depend on the outcome of the acoustic and shape data capture work described in the work plan.

A presentation of the main points of the project.

More about the four bat species selected.