The study, published in Nature Communications, found that when an insect makes a sharp turn, its brain “jumps” into a higher gear, said Juusola, which allows it to focus on the most important, fast-moving information.
This mechanism enables insects to overcome physical and neural constraints that would otherwise limit their perception and supports behaviours such as high-speed flight and predator avoidance.
Juusola, who is the senior author of the study, said: “We’ve demonstrated how even the smallest brains can solve complex problems at extraordinary speeds.”
Future AI systems – particularly those used in robotics, autonomous vehicles and real-time decision-making – could be revolutionised by adopting similar principles of movement-driven, adaptive information processing, said Dr Jouni Takalo.
Takalo, who led the development of the biophysically realistic statistical model underlying the work, said: “The findings challenge traditional models of neural processing, which assume that information flows through fixed pathways with built-in delays.
“Instead, the results support a new framework where sight is a collective effort between an insect’s movement, its visual input and its brain’s response.”