Closing the loop in dynamic vision – from single photons to behaviour in extreme light environments

Introduction

Driving along a tree-lined avenue, we have all experienced how the rapid succession of light and shade disrupts our vision. Such conditions push even synthetic sensors to their limits, but many animals master these challenges on a daily—and nightly—basis. Indeed, a high dynamic range of sensory information is a hallmark of natural environments.

Neuroscience Goals

Explaining how sensory information is processed with the limited bandwidth in neural circuits is key to a central goal of neuroscience: understanding the neural control of behaviour in natural contexts. This question extends beyond the processing of dynamic input by nervous systems to the closed-loop nature of animal behaviour itself: as senses guide an animal’s movements, the movements in turn shape the sensory input.

Holistic Approach

It necessitates a paradigm shift to a holistic approach considering dynamic inputs, neural processing, and behavioural strategies in concert. I propose visually-guided flight in nocturnal moths as uniquely suited for approaching this challenge.

Research Methodology

Probing the system in dim light, when vision operates at its limits, offers straightforward performance readouts for all stages of the control loop. To do so, we will:

1. Design a novel imaging system to quantify the dynamics of natural visual environments from a flying insect’s perspective.
2. Measure how dynamic tuning adjusts peripheral neurons to compensate for these spatiotemporal light variations.
3. Investigate how these adjustments are integrated with movement predictions in motion neurons to guide flight behaviour.

Data Collection

Using a one-of-a-kind facility for large-scale animal tracking, we will record the moths’ flight behaviour at unprecedented precision to reveal the strategies that optimise sensory acquisition in these challenging light conditions.

Project Impact

Combining all stages, this project will provide a coherent framework for studying the neural basis of natural behaviour in dynamic light environments—using a unique, ecologically impactful model to close the loop from sensing to acting.