Picture this: scientists have brought the concept of virtual reality to the animal kingdom, and it’s not just humans strapping on the headsets. Researchers at Cornell University have rolled out an innovative technology—MouseGoggles—that lets mice immerse themselves in the world of VR in the lab. And yes, it’s as adorable as it sounds.
This inventive tech, dubbed MouseGoggles by the creators, allows mice to experience virtual stimuli with a vividness that looks promising for scientific research. By doing so, it paves the way for more refined animal studies involving VR.
Why VR for mice, you might wonder? It’s a fascinating development with some significant research implications. Scientists aim to provide mice with simulated natural environments under meticulously controlled conditions. Presently, VR experiments for mice often involve strapping them onto a treadmill while projecting images on surrounding screens. Unfortunately, these screens don’t completely cover the mouse’s field of vision, leading to delayed or absent reactions from the mice to the VR scenarios.
The brains behind MouseGoggles believe they’ve achieved a breakthrough compared to current mouse VR setups. Instead of starting from scratch like designing a mini Oculus Rift, they cleverly utilized low-cost components from smartwatches and other devices. The MouseGoggles work similarly: the mouse is on a treadmill, and its head is fixed to goggles that feed it visual stimuli.
Matthew Isaacson, the lead scientist and a postdoctoral researcher at Cornell, shared with the Cornell Chronicle, “We adopted a hacker mindset, repurposing components not originally intended for this context. We found that smartwatch displays are the perfect size for our mice VR headsets, which saved us from building or designing new parts entirely.”
To prove their system’s effectiveness, the team subjected the mice to diverse stimuli while meticulously tracking their brain activity and behavior. Their tests showed encouraging results: the mice appeared to perceive and respond to the VR environment as hoped. For instance, they observed how the mice reacted to a dark shape approaching them—simulating a predator—which consistently startled the mice when seen through the goggles.
Isaacson noted, “In the traditional VR setup, the mice showed no reaction. But with MouseGoggles, nearly every mouse was startled, reacting as if they were genuinely facing a predator.”
Their research was published in Nature Methods, marking a significant step in enhancing VR for mice, which could ultimately benefit various scientific inquiries. This technology could be instrumental in studying mice with Alzheimer’s to better map brain activity tied to spatial awareness and memory. It also holds potential for advancing the testing of new treatments for brain disorders.
Isaacson’s team isn’t the only group advancing VR for mice, but they claim theirs is unique due to the integration of eye and pupil tracking. They’re even working on a portable version that could be adapted for larger animals like rats or tree shrews. Future plans include adding features to simulate other senses, such as taste and smell, making the virtual experience even more comprehensive.
