Animal brains spark innovation in technology, conservation

Animal brains may hold the key to the next wave of innovation, a new study about animal cognition and behaviors from Australia's Monash University said on Tuesday.

Animal intelligence offers valuable clues about the evolution of human cognition and can help shape the development of smarter, more intuitive artificial systems, such as artificial intelligence and bio-inspired computational systems, said a press release from the Melbourne-based university.

The study reveals unexpected ways in which animal cognition is influencing technological and societal advancements, the release said.

From the flight mechanics of dragonflies to the vision of bees, the research explores how the brains of small creatures can inspire advanced bio-inspired technologies – designs that mimic animal behavior, movement and perception, it said.

Animals are emerging as powerful models for developing new technologies, especially in fields like robotics and artificial intelligence.

Examining how animals tackle unfamiliar or "ecologically irrelevant" tasks, which they wouldn't encounter in the wild, can lead to more accurate and adaptive technologies. Understanding how animals respond to novel challenges may also help predict how they will cope with human-driven environmental change, said a researcher of the study.

(Cover: A close shot of a dragonfly. /VCG)