Meeting Abstract

P2.125  Jan. 5  Life-like Devices: The Physical World of Physical Models LONG, J H; Vassar College jolong@vassar.edu

Steven Vogel has created a dynamic movement to test biological hypotheses using physical models that instantiate the hypothesized operational principles. A key premise of the Vogelian paradigm is that fluid-solid interactions force investigators to build models of appropriate shape and motion. A corollary is that behavior is the interaction of the animal and its environment. To probe behavior�s physical underpinnings we build biologically-inspired robots designed to interact autonomously with their environments. One robot, Madeleine, is a four-flippered turtle-like vehicle capable of underwater navigation and obstacle avoidance. Another robotic swimmer, Tadro, modeled on the tadpole larva of sea squirts, is capable of light-seeking navigation and predator avoidance. Careful use of these and other biomimetic robots to test hypotheses shows how Vogel�s mixing of physics and biology continues to propel the field. Supported by the National Science Foundation grants BCS-0320764 and DBI-0442269.