University of Sussex scientists are working with partners at the University of Sheffield to produce the first accurate computer models of a honey bee brain in a bid to advance understanding of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and how animals think.
The team will build models of the systems in the brain that govern honey bee vision and sense of smell.
Using this information, the researchers aim to create an autonomous flying robot, comprising an off-the-shelf flying robot and a bee-like “brain” in the form of a computer program. Instead of flying around via a remote control held by a human, the robot would be able to sense and act as autonomously as a bee.