Intercollicular nucleus electric stimulation encoded “walk forward” commands in pigeons

Abstract

Abstract The bio-robot research field is growing. Robo-pigeons have been successfully programmed to turn left or right; however, a satisfactory method of commanding a robo-pigeon to walk forward is still lacking. This problem has become a roadblock to progress in bio-robot research and applications. In mammals, the midbrain periaqueductal gray region (PAG) plays a key role in mediating defensive reactions in response to fear and anxiety. The avian intercollicular nucleus (ICo) is thought to correspond to the PAG. In this study, we found that microstimulating the ICo could successfully induce a robo-pigeon to walk forward. Compared with stimulation of the previously used archistriatum, the response time was considerably shorter and the behavior accuracy significantly higher. This paper describes in detail the process of controlling a robo-pigeon such that it walks forward and backward along a prescribed straight line. From the results, we draw the conclusion that the ICo is suitable for prompting the “walk forward” order in robo-pigeons.