Snails' efficient thinking could help design robots of the future
Source: Henry Bodkin
Snails are not traditionally known for quick thinking, but new research shows they can make complex decisions using just two brain cells in findings that could help engineers design more efficient robots.
Scientists at the University of Sussex attached electrodes to the heads of freshwater snails as they searched for lettuce.
They found that just one cell was used by the mollusc to tell if it was hungry or not, while another let it know when food was present.
Snail's odd mouth movement while eating algae Play! 01:00
Food-searching is an example of goal-directed behaviour, during which an animal must integrate information about both its external environment and internal state while using as little energy as possible.
"This will eventually help us design the “brains” of robots"Professor George Kemenes, University of Sussex
Lead researcher Professor George Kemenes, said: “This will eventually help us design the “brains” of robots based on the principle of using the fewest possible components necessary to perform complex tasks.
“What goes on in our brains when we make complex behavioural decisions and carry them out is poorly understood.
“Our study reveals for the first time how just two neurons can create a mechanism in an animal’s brain which drives and optimises complex decision-making tasks.
“It also shows how this system helps to manage how much energy they use once they have made a decision.
“Our findings can help scientists to identify other core neuronal systems which underlie similar decision-making processes.”
The study is published in the journal Nature Communications.
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