This gives us a lot of insights we wouldn't be able to make using static images. |
This species of bat has been observed capturing insects near the ground and vegetation, which suggests they have a wider repertoire of sonar-guided behavior than previously recognized. We thought the sonar strobe groups might be well suited to helping the bat distinguish a small object from the more complex background you would find in the wild. |
To actually go from detecting the insect to the capture, our eyes just don't take it. |
We found the bat, using its sonar 'beam,' looks ahead of where it flies, and that there is a relationship between how the bat moves and where the beam is directed. |
We have found that bats adjust the timing of their sounds when they encounter clutter, and they seem to 'strobe' the world with sound. |
When (the bat) gets an echo back, it uses features of the echo to tell how far away the bug is. |