Autostalker

Hyung Suk Yoon and James Solberg built "autostalker", which detects prey with the help of elctrosense antennas. It's a similar principle of operation to a theramin: the capacitance of a nearby object distorts an AC electric field.

Prof. Malcolm MacIver suggested the project, which is inspired by the electrosense of weakly electric fish.

 

(click on images to enlarge)

The middle antenna is a transmitter and the left and right antennas are receivers. The metal box contains a two channel synchronous detector.
A computer controls the two wheels based on the signal strength received by the two antennas, so that the device tries to establish a fixed distance from its prey, and also orients toward it.
Click on the image to see it stalk James. (quicktime movie)