It sounds like a scene straight out of a science fiction movie: little mice wearing tiny VR headsets are “immersed” in digital worlds while researchers study their reactions. Yet, thanks to the pioneering work of a team at Cornell University, this scenario is becoming a reality. Why? And with what goals? Let’s see.
VR Headsets for Mice, a Revolutionary Low-Cost Technology
Researchers have developed a system called Mouse Goggles, which uses low-cost components borrowed from smartwatches and other existing devices. Mice are placed on a treadmill with their heads attached to VR headsets, through which they receive visual stimuli.
This approach is a huge improvement over current VR setups, which involve using screens or projections around the animal. Such systems do not cover the mouse's entire field of vision and often take a long time to elicit a response.
Mice jumping in front of virtual predators
To test the effectiveness of MouseGoggles, the researchers exposed rodents to various stimuli while monitoring their brain and behavioral activity. The results were surprising: The mice showed vivid and immediate reactions to the virtual environments.
In one experiment, mice wearing VR headsets were “attacked” by an approaching dark spot that could have been a predator. “Almost all the mice, the first time they see it through the goggles, jump. They have a huge alarm response,” he said. Matthew Isaacson, postdoctoral researcher leading the study (that I link to you here). “With traditional VR setups, however, they didn’t react at all.”
VR Headsets for Mice, Towards a Future of Innovative Research
Developing a more realistic virtual reality for mice could have huge benefits. Accurate VR experiments could allow us to better map brain activity in mouse models of Alzheimer's, particularly in regions linked to spatial navigation and memory. They could also improve preclinical studies to test potential treatments for neurological disorders.
The Cornell Team it is not the only one to have created VR headsets for mice, but theirs is the first to incorporate eye and pupil tracking. They are now already working on a mobile and lightweight version, which can also be used with larger rodents such as rats and shrews. In the future, they hope to include other senses such as taste and smell.
Towards a hi-tech future for animal testing
The idea of mice exploring virtual worlds may seem bizarre or even comical. But behind this innovative concept lies the potential to revolutionize the way we conduct animal science research. VR Simulations increasingly sophisticated and immersive, they promise to offer researchers new tools to study the brain, behavior, and much more under controlled, naturalistic conditions.
Of course, we are only at the beginning of this fascinating journey. But one thing is certain: with the advancement of technologies like MouseGoggles, the line between real and virtual is becoming increasingly thin. Even for our rodent friends.