Drosophila melanogaster, the common fruit fly, is in some ways a simple creature. But in others it is so complex that, as with any form of life, we are only scratching the surface of understanding it. Researchers have taken a major step with D. melanogaster by creating the most accurate digital twin yet — at least in how it moves and, to a certain extent, why.
NeuroMechFly, as the researchers at EPFL call their new model, is a “morphologically realistic biomechanical model” based on careful scans and close observation of actual flies. The result is a 3D model and movement system that, when prompted, does things …
