Abstract: Animal robots have outstanding advantages over traditional robots in their own energy supplies, orientation, and natural concealment, delivering significant value in the theories and applications of neural science, national security, and other fields. Presently, many animal robots have been fabricated, but researches about the applications of avian robots are still lacking. In this study, we constructed a Pigeon Robot System (PRS), optimized the electric stimulation parameters, assessed the electric stimulus of navigation, and evaluated the navigation efficiency in the field. Biphasic pulse constant current pattern was adapted, and the optimal stimulus parameters of 4 nuclei tested were of amplitude 0.3 mA, 5 pulse trains, frequency 25 Hz, 5 pulses, and a 25% duty cycle. Effective ratio of left and right steering behavior response to electric stimulus dorsointermedius ventralis anterior nuclei was 67% and 83%, respectively (mean value 75%). Electrical stimulation efficiency was 0.34 – 0.68 and path efficiency was 0.72 – 0.85 among pigeon robot individuals in the open field. Neither electrical stimulation efficiency nor path efficiency differed significantly (P > 0.05), suggesting that the navigational PRS performance was not biased in either direction. PRS can achieve continuous navigation along simple pathways and provide the necessary application infrastructure and technical reference for the development of animal robot navigation technology.

Key words: pigeon robot, bionic robot, system construction, navigation, functional verification