The Ciliate Paramecium Shows Higher Motility in Non-Uniform Chemical Landscapes

We study the motility behavior of the unicellular protozoan Paramecium tetraurelia in a microfluidic device that can be prepared with a landscape of attracting or repelling chemicals. We investigate the spatial distribution of the positions of the individuals at different time points with methods from spatial statistics and Poisson random point fields. This makes quantitative the informal notion of “uniform distribution” (or lack thereof). Our device is characterized by the absence of large systematic biases due to gravitation and fluid flow. It has the potential to be applied to the study of other aquatic chemosensitive organisms as well. This may result in better diagnostic devices for environmental pollutants.University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee (SURF (Salary for Undergraduate Research Fellows) Award)National Science Foundation (U.S.) (grant DMS-016214

Design of Ocean Systems I (13.017)

A two-semester subject sequence (of which this is the first half) that demonstrates the design process through its application to a working model-scale ocean system. Emphasis is on carrying out the design and implementation of the system, including demonstration of its operation in the marine environment. Spring Term: Introduction to the design process and its application to ocean engineering. Design project with students developing system definition and completing its preliminary design. Students are instructed in the design process, embedded systems programming and interfacing techniques, sensors, actuators, and the control of marine systems. Communications skills are honed through written and oral reports and engineering ethics are discussed. Fall Term: Students work as a group to design, plan, construct, test, and operate the model-scale ocean system defined in 13.017. Special emphasis is placed on testing the system in the marine environment and analyzing its performance in relation to the original system specification. The social aspects of engineering are discussed including group dynamics and time management. The specific design project varies from year to year and is announced to the students on the first day of class in 13.017

Design of Ocean Systems I

A two-semester subject sequence (of which this is the first half) that demonstrates the design process through its application to a working model-scale ocean system. Emphasis is on carrying out the design and implementation of the system, including demonstration of its operation in the marine environment. Spring Term: Introduction to the design process and its application to ocean engineering. Design project with students developing system definition and completing its preliminary design. Students are instructed in the design process, embedded systems programming and interfacing techniques, sensors, actuators, and the control of marine systems. Communications skills are honed through written and oral reports and engineering ethics are discussed. Fall Term: Students work as a group to design, plan, construct, test, and operate the model-scale ocean system defined in 13.017. Special emphasis is placed on testing the system in the marine environment and analyzing its performance in relation to the original system specification. The social aspects of engineering are discussed including group dynamics and time management. The specific design project varies from year to year and is announced to the students on the first day of class in 13.017

Insect Strategies of Visual Homing in Mobile Robots

Möller R, Lambrinos D, Roggendorf T, Pfeifer R, Wehner R. Insect Strategies of Visual Homing in Mobile Robots. In: Webb B, Consi TR, eds. Biorobotics. Methods and Applications. AAAI Press / MIT Press; 2001: 37-66