Barbara Webb facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Barbara Webb
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| Alma mater | University of Sydney University of Edinburgh |
| Employer | University of Edinburgh |
| Known for | Insect robotics |
Barbara H. Webb is a professor of robotics at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. She is famous for building amazing robotic models that act like insects.
Contents
Her Journey in Science
Barbara Webb started her studies at the University of Sydney in Australia. In 1988, she earned a degree in Psychology. Later, she moved to the University of Edinburgh to continue her education. In 1993, she received her PhD, which is a very high-level degree, in Artificial Intelligence. This field is all about making computers and robots smart.
Where She Has Worked
After her studies, Professor Webb worked at different universities.
- In 1995, she joined the University of Nottingham.
- In 1999, she moved to the University of Stirling.
- In 2003, she returned to the University of Edinburgh. She has been there ever since, teaching and researching.
Amazing Insect Robots
Professor Webb's main interest is understanding how animals, especially insects, control their movements and actions. She does this by building computational models (computer programs that act like brains) and robotic models (actual robots).
Why Insects?
Insects have smaller brains than humans. This makes them simpler to study. By understanding how insect brains work, scientists can learn how to build smarter and more efficient robots. Professor Webb believes that insects can inspire new ways to design robots.
Her team studies different insects:
- They look at how ants find their way around.
- They research how drosophila (fruit flies) learn new things.
- They also study how crickets move.
How She Studies Insects
Professor Webb's team uses computers to create models of insect brains. They then test these models using small robots. This helps them see if their ideas about how insects work are correct. She was made a professor of Biorobotics in 2010. Biorobotics is the study of building robots inspired by living things.
One of Professor Webb's most exciting discoveries is about ants. Ants have tiny brains, but they are amazing at finding their way home. In 2017, she showed that ants can use the sun's position to walk backwards. This discovery was very interesting to many people. Professor Webb explained that ants can "mentally rotate" what they see to adjust their path, even when walking backwards.
Recognition
In 2022, Barbara Webb was chosen to be a Fellowship of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. This is a special honor for top scientists and thinkers in Scotland.
