4.4 Exploration

1. Into the Unknown

Now the insect can walk, but only in a straight line. If the insect is going to survive it needs to be able to actively explore its environment. And to do that it is going to have to acquire some new skills. First, it needs to be able to turn so that it is not just walking in a straight line. After that, the insect will need some way to navigate around all of the obstacles that are in its way without getting stuck. And if it does get stuck, it needs to have some way to get itself unstuck. Once it has mastered these abilities then it will be much closer to the goal of being able to survive over an extended period of time.

2. Section Overview

The first topic discussed in this section is turning. As long as the insect is restricted to walking in a straight line it will never be able to explore. After turning is mastered then the concepts for random wandering will be laid out. The next page will talk about what the insect should do when it encounters an obstacle. Finally, the last page will discuss what happens when the insect gets into a bad situation where it is stuck up against a wall or in a corner.