Abstract
Sand scorpions are a useful model for deriving principles of navigation by familiarity using a local sensor. Immediately after digging its burrow, a sand scorpion performs a series of learning walks that may facilitate the acquisition of home-directed tastes and touches via its midventral pectines. Later, during subsequent homebound journeys, the scorpion repeatedly compares current tastes and textures to the memories acquired via learning walks, using this information to step in the direction of the most familiar memory until it reaches its home. Previously, we have created computer simulations to show proof-of-concept of this navigation process. My goal here is to illustrate the idea with a simple, easily replicated robotic toy “scorp-car” that navigates based on the familiarity algorithm. I expect this robot to not only shed light on scorpion sensory biology but also inspire translational applications involving autonomous navigation within human-built environments.