The University of Newcastle, which is a STEP2DYNA project partner, hosts a series of Holmes Lectures which are aimed at 10-14 year olds, and aim to expand the horizons of young students, and grow their enthusiasm towards science.
In January 2018, PhD students from the University of Lincoln were invited to give a lecture on the functions and features of eyes and vision systems in animals, particularly in insects such as the locust and the praying mantis.
The robot Colias, which is equipped with a successful collision avoidance model, inspired by one of the insects’ vision neurons, was demonstrated. This was an ideal method by which to demonstrate the connections between biological findings in real insects, and the development in computation science and technology.
The event received positive feedback, and attracted almost 150 young students and their parents.
