Virtual reality is extending beyond humans, as scientists have recently introduced an innovative technology that lets mice experience VR more realistically—and charmingly—within a laboratory setting.
This breakthrough comes from researchers at Cornell University, who have created a device they call MouseGoggles. When tested on mice, these tiny goggles evoked vivid responses from the rodents toward simulated environments. This exciting development is set to facilitate VR-based animal studies significantly.
While the concept of mice using VR might sound amusing, it has genuine scientific value. Ideally, VR technology allows researchers to create controlled, naturalistic environments for mice. However, current setups are somewhat cumbersome, often involving mice on treadmills surrounded by screens that can’t fully immerse the animals in the simulated world. Moreover, it can take a considerable amount of time for mice to interact with these environments, if at all.
The team at Cornell believes that MouseGoggles marks a notable improvement over traditional VR systems for mice. Instead of inventing a miniaturized version of devices like the Oculus Rift, they ingeniously utilized affordable components from smartwatches and other gadgets. In the MouseGoggles setup, mice are placed on treadmills, their heads fixed in position, while visual stimuli are presented through the goggles.
“It certainly embraced a hacker mindset—repurposing components built for other uses into a new context,” explained lead scientist Matthew Isaacson to the Cornell Chronicle. “As it happens, the ideal display for a mouse VR headset already exists for smartwatches. This meant we didn’t have to design anything from scratch, allowing us to source all the necessary parts at a reasonable cost.”
To evaluate their system’s effectiveness, the researchers subjected mice to various virtual stimuli, concurrently monitoring brain activity and behavior. Their tests revealed that the mice responded to the virtual environment as intended. For example, the reaction of mice to a simulated approaching dark blotch—symbolizing a predator—was closely monitored.
“In traditional VR setups with large screens, mice often didn’t respond at all,” Isaacson pointed out. “Yet, when exposed to the goggles, almost every mouse had a drastic startle response, as if they genuinely thought a predator was closing in.”
Their research results were published in Nature Methods earlier this month. The advancements in VR technology for mice predict extensive future benefits. These refined VR experiments might enhance insights into brain activity in Alzheimer’s-like mice, especially in areas linked to spatial navigation and memory. They could also advance fundamental research into potential treatments for brain disorders.
While Isaacson and his colleagues aren’t alone in developing VR systems for mice, theirs uniquely incorporates eye and pupil tracking. They’re already working on a portable, lightweight VR setup suitable for larger rodents, like rats or tree shrews. The team is also exploring enhancements for future models, including sensory elements like taste and smell simulation.
