FreemoVR

Scientists developed the system submerging animals in virtual reality. It is called FreemoVR, and with its help researchers could see how different animals behave, having appeared in the VR environment^[1].

FreemoVR represents the arena surrounded with computer screens and submerging in virtual reality, notes^[2]. Researchers from Austria and Germany tested a system on mice, drosophilas and small fishes Danio-rerio and found out that examinees reacted to virtual objects and Wednesday as on real.

A VR arena for freely flying flies. Photo: IMP / IMBA Graphics Department

Unlike other experiences with immersion of animals in virtual environment, this time examinees could move freely (in any case, within the VR arena), scientists emphasize. Thanks to a set of high-speed cameras animals could see on walls of the arena of the image, continuously synchronized with their movements.

For example, in one of experiments researchers projected aliens from the video game Space Invaders on aquarium walls. Images were constantly updated, they moved in real time therefore looked three-dimensional for floating small fishes. Scientists note that small fishes reacted to aliens so as if they are real fishes, and tried to move pack together with them.

An experiment to check whether mice are afraid of virtual heights. Photo: IMP / IMBA Graphics Department

In other experiment of a mouse were placed on the circular track located over the screen. Because of patterns in the form of the chess cages shown on the display, appear, that one half of a way is above another. Scientists saw that mice avoided that part of a track which looked higher (i.e. behaved as well as in case one part of a track was really higher another).

Scientists saw the same also in a case with drosophilas: insects flew about virtual obstacles as well as real.

It is noted that conditions nevertheless were not perfect. So, FreemoVR uses the computer displays and projectors developed for the person — they, for example, do not transfer the image with the polarized light (some animals can see such light and use it as a reference point at movement).

According to scientists, this technology helps to expand understanding of how animals build cognitive maps as they are guided in space as they interact with other individuals^[3].

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Notes