Computing Goal Locations from Place Codes

A model based on coupled mechanisms for place recognition, path integration, and maintenance of head direction in rodents replicates a variety of neurophysiological and behavioral data. Here we consider a task described in [Collett et al. 1986] in which gerbils were trained to find food equidistant from three identical landmarks arranged in an equilateral triangle. In probe trials with various manipulations of the landmark array, the model produces behaviors similar to those of the animals. We discuss computer simulations and an implementation of portions of the model on a mobile robot.