Virtual reality isn’t just capturing the attention of humans these days; even mice are getting a taste of this fascinating technology. Scientists at Cornell University have rolled out an adorable yet innovative invention called MouseGoggles, bringing virtual reality to the world of lab mice. In trials, mice seemed to fully and vividly respond to virtual stimuli through these goggles, presenting a groundbreaking method for conducting animal research in VR settings.
While the concept of mice in VR might sound amusing at first, it holds significant research potential. By using VR, scientists can replicate natural environments for mice in a more manageable and controlled setting. Current methods have their drawbacks—often involving mice placed on treadmills with large screens around them that barely cover their field of vision. These setups can be cumbersome and slow to elicit a response from the subjects, if they react at all.
The MouseGoggles present a meaningful improvement over existing VR methods for mice. Rather than designing a miniaturized version of a VR headset from the ground up, the team used small, affordable components borrowed from devices like smartwatches. When using MouseGoggles, the mice are positioned on a treadmill, their heads secured to receive visual cues through the goggles.
In the words of lead researcher Matthew Isaacson, a postdoctoral fellow at Cornell, “It was all about taking parts that exist and repurposing them for something entirely new,” he shared with the Cornell Chronicle. “Smartwatches had pretty much already given us the perfect size display for a mouse VR headset. We were fortunate to be able to assemble everything we needed without having to invent parts from scratch.”
To verify the new system’s effectiveness, researchers immersed mice in various VR situations while tracking their brain activity and behavior. The results were promising; the mice seemed genuinely perceptive to the virtual environments. In one experiment, a progressively approaching dark shape was used to simulate a predator, and the mice visibly reacted.
Isaacson noted, “When we conducted this experiment using large screens, the mice showed no reaction. Yet, almost every mouse startled immediately upon seeing the predator with the goggles. It was as if they truly believed a predator was closing in on them.”
These pioneering discoveries were recently published in the journal Nature Methods. According to the researchers, immersive VR technology for mice could yield numerous benefits, particularly in exploring brain function related to diseases like Alzheimer’s, investigating spatial navigation, and evaluating treatments for neurological disorders.
While Isaacson and his team aren’t the only ones entering the realm of VR for mice, their innovation is unique with its integration of eye and pupil tracking. The team is already working on a more portable VR system for larger rodents like rats and tree shrews, and future iterations may include simulating other senses such as taste and smell.
