IISER MOHALI

Abstract: Living organisms exhibit complex phenomena such as self-propulsion, sensing, decision-making, and navigation. Inspired by these capabilities, we present a programmable robotic platform as a model experimental system to explore the physics of living matter. Our robots are self-propelled, equipped with infrared and light-intensity sensors, and process real-time environmental cues to display life-like dynamics. First, I will demonstrate how we benchmarked their dynamics by reproducing established active particle models, such as active Brownian motion. Later, I will discuss how we replicated the homing behaviour in our robot and discover a universal equation that characterizes the shape of paths traversed by migrating animals. Using this equation, supplemented with experiments on flocking robots, we will provide a physical understanding of why flocking organisms exhibit enhanced navigational efficiency. In the second part, I will talk about the origins of motility in flagellated microswimmers. More specifically, our robotic model is inspired by a biflagellated alga called Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Our results shed light on the role of the contractile distal fiber, which connects flagellar basal bodies, in giving rise to its characteristic run-and-tumble-like motion. Taken together, this platform provides a powerful tool for uncovering the physical principles that govern living systems.