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Is there a motion-independent position computation of an object in the visual system of the housefly?

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Abstract

A single vertical stripe (long or short) was moved clockwise, with constant speed, around a tethered femaleMusca domestica fly. The yaw torque response of the fly was analyzed as a function of the position of the object. After an interval of 8 s the stripe was moved counterclockwise and a similar analysis of the torque was made. This procedure was repeated a few times and averaged to each direction separately and for all the flies tested. The results suggested that: a) There are at least two mechanisms for computing the optomotor response in the lower part of the fly's eye, one performing a position-dependent velocity computation and the other depending on the position but not on the direction of motion of an object. b) These two components are parametrized over the position on the lower part of the eye. The results also show that: c) There is a significant difference in the response between the upper and the lower part of the eye. The position-dependent component cannot be detected in the upper part of the eye. In addition: d) Two different control mechanisms are proposed, one responding to progressive (from front to back) and one to regressive (from back to front) movement of objects.

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Geiger, G. Is there a motion-independent position computation of an object in the visual system of the housefly?. Biol. Cybernetics 40, 71–75 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00326682

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00326682

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