Researchers at the University of Rochester studied how primates catch moving crickets, revealing that predictive abilities are essential for visually-guided movements. Using high-speed cameras and AI techniques like DeepLabCut, they found an 80-millisecond delay in visuomotor responses. This timing discrepancy highlights the need for accurate motion predictions to successfully catch moving objects. Lead researcher Kuan Hong Wang emphasized the importance of studying natural behaviors to gain insights into various neurological disorders. The study aligns visuomotor control with real-world applications, providing a basis for improving our understanding of conditions like stroke and brain lesions, where such control is compromised.
In their findings published in Current Biology, the team noted that despite the detectable delay, primates were still able to predict and catch crickets. This research not only identifies unique behavioral control strategies but also suggests the potential for developing computational methods to analyze behavior in natural settings. Understanding these processes can aid in devising treatments and interventions for neurological conditions that affect motion perception and execution. The study was supported by notable funding sources, including the National Institutes of Health and the Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience.
