Tiny Backpacks Tap into Dragonflies’ Brains | National Geographic

so this room were in is this sort of

so this room were in is this sort of indoor flight arena we’ve built to study

indoor flight arena we’ve built to study

indoor flight arena we’ve built to study how dragonflies forage and catch prey

how dragonflies forage and catch prey

how dragonflies forage and catch prey basically what we’ve tried to do is

basically what we’ve tried to do is

basically what we’ve tried to do is craft an environment that is

craft an environment that is

craft an environment that is sufficiently complex that dragonflies

sufficiently complex that dragonflies

sufficiently complex that dragonflies will actually sort of be happy living in

will actually sort of be happy living in

will actually sort of be happy living in here they’ll think it’s a you know the

here they’ll think it’s a you know the

here they’ll think it’s a you know the real world and they’ll Forge and catch

real world and they’ll Forge and catch

real world and they’ll Forge and catch things way to do outside but simple

things way to do outside but simple

things way to do outside but simple enough that we can actually measure what

enough that we can actually measure what

enough that we can actually measure what they’re doing with very high

they’re doing with very high

they’re doing with very high reproducibility without being subjected

reproducibility without being subjected

reproducibility without being subjected to the sort of variability of

to the sort of variability of

to the sort of variability of temperature and lighting and air and

temperature and lighting and air and

temperature and lighting and air and climate outside these obviously are

climate outside these obviously are

climate outside these obviously are beautiful insects and if you watch them

beautiful insects and if you watch them

beautiful insects and if you watch them for a few minutes that’s sort of

for a few minutes that’s sort of

for a few minutes that’s sort of hypnotic to see the incredible agility

hypnotic to see the incredible agility

hypnotic to see the incredible agility with which they they behave but like

with which they they behave but like

with which they they behave but like fruit flies and other insects their

fruit flies and other insects their

fruit flies and other insects their brain has many fewer neurons than a

brain has many fewer neurons than a

brain has many fewer neurons than a mammal so there’s fewer things to

mammal so there’s fewer things to

mammal so there’s fewer things to measure on the other hand they’re very

measure on the other hand they’re very

measure on the other hand they’re very large for an insect and so it’s possible

large for an insect and so it’s possible

large for an insect and so it’s possible to load them up with sensors and

to load them up with sensors and

to load them up with sensors and actually measure them while they’re

actually measure them while they’re

actually measure them while they’re behaving and that’s very difficult to do

behaving and that’s very difficult to do

behaving and that’s very difficult to do with a small insect so why are we trying

with a small insect so why are we trying

with a small insect so why are we trying to record from neurons in these

to record from neurons in these

to record from neurons in these dragonflies while they’re flying we’d

dragonflies while they’re flying we’d

dragonflies while they’re flying we’d like to look at the individual nerve

like to look at the individual nerve

like to look at the individual nerve cells these are the brain cells or

cells these are the brain cells or

cells these are the brain cells or neurons as we call them and think about

neurons as we call them and think about

neurons as we call them and think about how they steer the animals so a simple

how they steer the animals so a simple

how they steer the animals so a simple example would be playing tennis where

example would be playing tennis where

example would be playing tennis where you’re simultaneously doing two things

you’re simultaneously doing two things

you’re simultaneously doing two things you’re looking at something moving

you’re looking at something moving

you’re looking at something moving through the world say ball for example

through the world say ball for example

through the world say ball for example and you’re predicting where it’s going

and you’re predicting where it’s going

and you’re predicting where it’s going and you’re trying to steer your body to

and you’re trying to steer your body to

and you’re trying to steer your body to intercept the ball at some the future

intercept the ball at some the future

intercept the ball at some the future location

location

location you have these really small components

you have these really small components

you have these really small components for this backpack this tiny little

for this backpack this tiny little

for this backpack this tiny little device and you have to hold these things

device and you have to hold these things

device and you have to hold these things you have to manipulate these little tiny

you have to manipulate these little tiny

you have to manipulate these little tiny circuit boards and antennae and

circuit boards and antennae and

circuit boards and antennae and circuitry or what have you and you’re

circuitry or what have you and you’re

circuitry or what have you and you’re actually pushing the limits of

actually pushing the limits of

actually pushing the limits of engineering into a degree and actually

engineering into a degree and actually

engineering into a degree and actually the materials themselves try to think of

the materials themselves try to think of

the materials themselves try to think of a backpacking manufacturer that’s making

a backpacking manufacturer that’s making

a backpacking manufacturer that’s making backpacks for mountain climbers a

backpacks for mountain climbers a

backpacks for mountain climbers a climber is going up a hill he’s climbing

climber is going up a hill he’s climbing

climber is going up a hill he’s climbing Mount Everest and he or she does not

Mount Everest and he or she does not

Mount Everest and he or she does not want to feel the weight of this backpack

want to feel the weight of this backpack

want to feel the weight of this backpack and that Reaganomics have to be just

and that Reaganomics have to be just

and that Reaganomics have to be just right it’s the same thing with these

right it’s the same thing with these

right it’s the same thing with these animals with these backpack systems were

animals with these backpack systems were

animals with these backpack systems were actually splitting it down to the

actually splitting it down to the

actually splitting it down to the milligrams they have to behave in a way

milligrams they have to behave in a way

milligrams they have to behave in a way that you can actually get real

that you can actually get real

that you can actually get real scientific results if the payload is too

scientific results if the payload is too

scientific results if the payload is too heavy or it’s or it’s awkward for the

heavy or it’s or it’s awkward for the

heavy or it’s or it’s awkward for the animal you obviously aren’t going to get

animal you obviously aren’t going to get

animal you obviously aren’t going to get the recordings or the data that you’re

the recordings or the data that you’re

the recordings or the data that you’re looking for you know what are the

looking for you know what are the

looking for you know what are the applications of this I mean if you want

applications of this I mean if you want

applications of this I mean if you want to repair an injured brain the best way

to repair an injured brain the best way

to repair an injured brain the best way to do that is to understand how it

to do that is to understand how it

to do that is to understand how it actually works right and ultimately I

actually works right and ultimately I

actually works right and ultimately I think research like this that really

think research like this that really

think research like this that really explains what these circuits do is gonna

explains what these circuits do is gonna

explains what these circuits do is gonna be the future of how you want to use

be the future of how you want to use

be the future of how you want to use that technology so how would you control

that technology so how would you control

that technology so how would you control the neurons to actually do it let them

the neurons to actually do it let them

the neurons to actually do it let them suit do something in a goal-directed

suit do something in a goal-directed

suit do something in a goal-directed manner and move their own legs and so

manner and move their own legs and so

manner and move their own legs and so the best way to think about I think

the best way to think about I think

the best way to think about I think these types of projects is just

these types of projects is just

these types of projects is just fundamental research into what the brain

fundamental research into what the brain

fundamental research into what the brain is doing to solve complex behavioral

is doing to solve complex behavioral

is doing to solve complex behavioral problems