Prof. Amir Ayali

Prof. Amir Ayali

Research work

Our research interests span from insect behavior and neural mechanisms for behavior to bio-inspired technology. Utilized methods and techniques are varied and include basic electrophysiology of nerve and muscle in different in-vivo and in vitro preparations, video monitoring of behavior followed by state-of the art image analysis, computer modeling and simulations, and more. Current research projects include the study of different aspects of collective motion in the locust model – sensory perception, decision making and sensory-motor control of coordinated locomotion, the role of behavioral plasticity and variability in collective motion, and more. We also study other model insects, such as the field cricket as a model for the effects of ALAN (artificial light at night) on behavior, the mole cricket as a model for plasticity in locomotion gait, and more. Other projects in the lab aim at developing insect-inspired technological innovations, from swarming robots, to bio-robots and hybrid bio-sensors

 

Areas of interest & scientific knowledge

Behavioral Neuroscience

Selected Publications
  • Knebel D., Ayali A., Guershon M. and Ariel G. (2019) Intra- vs. inter-group variance in collective behavior. Science Adv. Vol. 5, no. 1, eaav0695. http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/5/1/eaav0695
     
  • Talal S., Ayali A. and Gefen E. (2019) Respiratory gas levels interact to control ventilatory motor patterns in isolated locust ganglia.  J. Exp. Biol., 222, jeb195388. doi:10.1242/jeb.195388
     
  • Knebel D., Ayali A., Pflger HJ, and Rillich J. (2017) Rigidity and flexibility: The central basis of inter-leg coordination in the locust. Front. Neural Circuits 10:112; doi: 10.3389/fncir.2016.00112
     
  • Ariel G. and Ayali A. (2015) Locust collective motion and its modeling. PLoS Comput Biol 11(12): e1004522. doi:10.1371/journal.pcbi.1004522
     
  • Zaitsev V., Gvirsman O., Ben Hanan U., Weiss A., Ayali A. and Kosa G. (2015) A locust-inspired miniature jumping robot. Bioinspir. Biomim. 10: 066012  doi:10.1088/1748-3190/10/6/066012
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