Humans arent the only ones getting in on the virtual reality craze.
Scientists have just debuted a new technology that allows mice to more realisticallyand adorablyexperience VR in the lab.
Researchers at Cornell University developed the tech, which theyve aptly named MouseGoggles.
The researchers' MouseGogles being worn by a mouse.© Cornell University
In experiments with mice, the rodents appeared to vividly respond to simulated stimuli while wearing the goggles.
The innovation should make it easier for scientists to run animal studies involving VR.
As funny as the idea of rodent VR sounds, there are actual applications for it.
Ideally, VR can allow scientists to simulate naturalistic environments for mice under more controlled conditions.
Like other VR systems, the mice are placed onto a treadmill to use the MouseGoggles.
Their heads are kept fixed to the goggles while theyre fed visual stimuli.
But almost every single mouse, the first time they see it with the goggles, they jump.
They have a huge startle reaction.
They really did seem to think they were getting attacked by a looming predator.
The teams findings werepublishedearlier this month in the journal Nature Methods.
Issacson and his colleagues arent the only researchers who haverecently createdVR systems for mice.
But they say theirs is the first to incorporate tracking of the eyes and pupils.
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