Mice Headsets Make it Easier to Study Brain Response to Virtual Realty [Video]

Key Takeaways

A VR headset has been developed for lab miceThe mice wear the headset while skittering on a ball-shaped treadmillThe headset is meant for use in brain studies

THURSDAY, Dec. 26, 2024 (HealthDay News) — Virtual reality headsets like the Meta Quest or Apple Vision Pro will be a Christmas gift in more than one home this year.

Now mice are getting in on the action.

Researchers have developed a set of VR goggles for lab mice for use in brain studies, according to a report published recently in the journal Nature Methods.

These VR goggles will allow scientists to provide immersive experiences for the mice, while capturing fluorescent images of the rodents’ brain activity.

The goggles — which dwarf the tiny mice in size — were built using low-cost, off-the-shelf components like smartwatch displays and tiny lenses, researchers said.

“It definitely benefited from the hacker ethos of taking parts that are built for something else and then applying it …