Bees and Beekeeping

Photographer @johsny@lemmy.world

Photographer @johsny@lemmy.world

Abstract

Navigation is a crucial capability for both animals and robots. Although tiny flying insects can robustly navigate over long distances1, state-of-the-art robot navigation methods are computationally expensive and therefore restricted to large robots2,3. Here we propose ‘Bee-Nav’, a highly efficient navigation strategy inspired by the visual learning flights of honeybees4,5,6. In equivalent robotic learning flights, a tiny neural network is trained to map omnidirectional images to a home vector based on path integration. After learning, the robot can fly far away from home, come straight back using path integration and cancel integration drift using the visual homing network. Simulations showed that, for realistic path integration accuracies, the neural network requires training on only approximately 0.25–10.00% of the total flight area. In real-world indoor and outdoor experiments, a small drone successfully returned to within 0.5 m of home for 100% of 30–110-m flights and 70% of 200–600-m flights in windy conditions, using 3.4-kB and 42-kB neural networks, respectively. The proposed navigation strategy will be vital for resource-constrained robots that perform tasks while travelling from and to a home location. Furthermore, it provides new perspectives on the neuroethology of insect navigation, from how visual learning shapes homing trajectories to the nature of cognitive maps.

cross-posted from: https://mastodon.neatobuilds.com/users/mrpistachios/statuses/114332931670441943

Bee doing its thing

@macrophotography

#macro #macrophotography #insect #Bloomscrolling #sonya7riii

cross-posted from: https://sopuli.xyz/post/7625705

According to the linked article, 72 studies suggest that wi-fi radiation harms/kills #bees -- and by some claims is a threat to their continued existence. I suppose if extinction were really a likely risk there would be widespread outrage and bee conservationists taking actions. It seems there is a lack of chatter about this. This thread also somewhat implies disinterest in even having wi-fi alternatives.

In any case, does anyone think this is a battle worth fighting? Some possible off-the-cuff actions that come to mind:

• ban the sale of wi-fi devices bigger than a phone in Europe¹ if they do not also comply with these conditions:
  • include an ethernet port as well. So e.g. macbooks would either have to bring back the ethernet port or nix wi-fi (and obviously Apple wouldn’t nix Wi-Fi).
  • have a physical wi-fi toggle switch on the chassis (like Thinkpads have)
• force public libraries with Wi-Fi to give an ethernet port option so library users at least have the option of turning off their own wi-fi emissions.
• ban the sale of Wi-Fi APs that do not have:
  • a configurable variable power setting that is easily tunable by the user; maybe even require a knob or slider on the chassis.
  • bluetooth that is internet-capable
• force phones that include wi-fi to also include bluetooth as well as the programming to use bluetooth for internet. Bluetooth routers have existed for over a decade but they are quite rare.. cannot be found in a common electronics shop.

Regarding bluetooth, it is much slower than wi-fi, lower range, and probably harder to secure. But nonetheless people should have this option for situations where they don’t need wi-fi capability. E.g. when a phone is just sitting idle it could turn off wi-fi and listen over bluetooth for notifications.

I suspect the 1st part of this quote from the article explains the lack of concern:

“The subject is uncomfortable for many of us because it interferes with our daily habits and there are powerful economic interests behind mobile communication technology.”

1. I say /Europe/ because it’s perhaps the only place where enough people would be concerned and where you also have the greatest chance of passing pro-humanity legislation (no “Citizens United” that human needs have to compete with).