Abstract
A DARK target on a bright background is fixated1 and tracked2,3 by a flying fly. The delay (dead time) in the fly's behavioural response to a change in the retinal image of the target is very small (about 20 ms)3–5. An artificial increase of this delay may give useful insight into the kind of control systems used by the tracking fly. Comparable psychophysical tracking experiments have been performed. For instance, when a televised display of a person's own behaviour in (closed-loop) pursuit tracking is delayed, his performance, as measured by time on target, is seriously impaired6. It is possible to delay the fly's response in artificial closed-loop conditions, and we have therefore used the effects of delayed visual feedback on tracking performance to test quantitatively a theoretical description of the visual orientation behaviour of flies1,7,8.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Reichardt, W., Naturwissenschaften, 60, 122–138 (1973).
Virsik, R., and Reichardt, W., Naturwissenschaften, 61, 132–133 (1974).
Land, M. F., and Collett, T. S., J. comp. Physiol., 89, 331–357 (1974).
Collett, T. S., and Land, M. F., J. comp. Physiol., 99, 1–66 (1975).
Collett, T. S., and Land, M. F., J. comp. Physiol., 100, 59–84 (1975).
Smith, W. M., Science, 176, 939–940 (1972).
Poggio, T., and Reichardt, W., Kybernetik, 12, 185–203 (1973).
Virsik, R., and Reichardt, W., Biol. Cybernetics (in the press).
Reichardt, W., and Poggio, T., Biol. Cybernetics, 18, 69–80 (1975).
Wehrhahn, C., and Reichardt, W., Biol. Cybernetics, 20, 37–50 (1975).
Geiger, G., and Poggio, T., Science, 190, 479–480 (1975).
Varjú, D., Nature, 255, 330–332 (1975).
Reichardt, W., and Poggio, T., Q. Rev. Biophys. (in the press).
Poggio, T., and Reichardt, W., Q. Rev. Biophys, (in the press).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
WEHRHAHN, C., POGGIO, T. Real-time delayed tracking in flies. Nature 261, 43–44 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1038/261043a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/261043a0
This article is cited by
-
Delays in physiological systems
Journal of Mathematical Biology (1979)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.
