Fourier light field imaging for ultra-high speed measurement of exoskeleton deformations in snapping trap-jaw ants

In this work, we present the Ultra-High Speed Fourier Light Field Mesoscope (US-FLFM) to measure 3D exoskeleton deformations in snapping trap-jaw ants. This system uses concepts from Fourier Light Field Imaging alongside an ultra-high speed imaging sensor (the Photron E980S, which can achieve 1 MHz+ frame rates) and a custom image processing pipeline to capture tiny (um) and brief (us) movements occurring over a mm scale ant head. This system provides new insight into Latch Mediated Spring Actuation (LaMSA), the mechanism behind some of the most extreme energetic events known to science, which allows a wide range of organisms to snap, jump, spear, and launch projectiles with remarkably high acceleration and energy output.