Research Objectives
Each year billions of animals navigate with pinpoint accuracy over vast distances and move millions of tonnes of biomass across the globe. For example, experienced birds find their way with centimetre precision between a nest site in Europe and a sleeping perch in Africa thousands of kilometres away; and Bogong moths migrate up to one thousand kilometres to a place where they have never been before. To find their way, animals use many senses including vision, olfaction, and a magnetic sense, seemingly based on quantum mechanical effects at ambient temperature.
The mission of NaviSense is to provide a thorough, interdisciplinary understanding of the senses and mechanisms used by animals to navigate, and how these mechanisms can inspire technology and impact society, ecology, and biodiversity.
To achieve our mission, we unite internationally leading scientists from different branches of biology, physics, chemistry, computer sciences, and social sciences from six different institutions. As a team, we will carry out uniquely interdisciplinary research that goes far beyond what the individuals and disciplines could have achieved working alone.
NaviSense is structured into four interconnected research foci (RF): animal navigation mechanisms and their underlying senses (RF1); quantum effects at ambient temperature in model systems and biology (RF2); ecological and conservation related consequences of animal navigation (RF3); and linking biological and technical systems through models, algorithms, and devices (RF4). The acquired knowledge can help to solve major societal questions related e.g. to the biodiversity crisis, GPS independent navigation, and quantum sensing at ambient temperature.
Insights into our Research
Meet the people behind the projects by watching some insightful videos and discover some of our research topics, methodologies and unique facilities.