Eels' locomotion secret could help design next-gen advanced robots

An international research team led by Tohoku University has uncovered the neural mechanisms behind eels' remarkable ability to maintain coordinated movement even after severe spinal cord injuries. By studying sensory feedback—specifically stretch and pressure signals—combined with intrinsic rhythmic neural circuits along the spinal cord, the researchers demonstrated that eels can synchronize movement without brain control. This was confirmed through experiments involving both real eels and eel-like robots, showing that sensory feedback enables steady swimming, crawling on land, and obstacle navigation. The study also offers evolutionary insights, suggesting that early vertebrates may have repurposed existing swimming neural circuits to move on land, reducing the need for complex brain control. These findings have significant implications for robotics: understanding eel locomotion could inspire the design of highly adaptive robots capable of navigating complex, unpredictable environments such as disaster zones or extraterrestrial terrains. The research, involving collaborators from multiple international institutions, was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.