Rodents are being brought into the virtual reality world with innovative goggles designed by researchers at Cornell University. The MouseGoggles aim to advance research into Alzheimer’s disease and other brain conditions. By using a virtual reality set-up, scientists can create a more naturalistic environment for studying brain function.
The device was built using off-the-shelf components, including displays from smartwatches. The team found that this approach allowed them to source inexpensive parts and simplify the design process. In tests, mice responded dramatically to VR clips, showing a significant startle reaction when encountering virtual predators. The goggles also stimulated activity in brain regions associated with visual processing and spatial navigation.
The researchers plan to develop mobile versions of the MouseGoggles for larger rodents and explore the use of five-sense virtual reality for experiments. This technology has the potential to improve our understanding of brain function and disease, particularly Alzheimer’s disease.
Source: https://newatlas.com/biology/virtual-reality-rodents