Scientists Use Quake 2 To Study the Brains of Mice 185
An anonymous reader writes "In this week's issue of Nature, scientists from Princeton University trained mice to navigate around a virtual environment using a setup that resembles a combination of a giant trackball and a mini-iMax theater displaying a virtual world rendered using a modified version of the Quake 2 open source game engine. (Here's the academic paper, subscription required.) They hold the mouse's head still atop a giant trackball, which the mouse turns by running. The scientists use the rotations to move the mouse around in the virtual environment, and when he reaches certain places, he gets a reward. Because they are able to hold the head still, they can stick microscopic glass electrodes into individual neurons in the hippocampus of this mouse as it 'navigates.' They find the neural activity that resembles activity during real life navigation, and learned new things about the inputs and computations that are going on inside these neurons, which weren't known before. No word as of yet whether the scientists plan on giving the mice control of the gun. Wonder whether John Carmack ever envisioned this when he opened up the Quake code?"
FP (Score:5, Funny)
Quake Fit? (Score:5, Funny)
If only we could do this with gamers who need exercise. They get a better immersive experience AND get fit at the same time.
OK, so the open-brain surgery thing is going to be controversial, but...
Online play (Score:5, Funny)
Damn! (Score:3, Funny)
Fragged by a rodent! Damned thing was camping, too, the bastard.
Re:Online play (Score:4, Funny)
If I ever get fragged by a mouse, I hope no one ever tells me.
PRO TIP: Don't use cheese yellow colors for your model skins!
How many roads must a man walk down? (Score:2, Funny)
Great. Now I have to worry about getting pwned by Frankie and Benjy.
Re:Quake Fit? (Score:5, Funny)
Oh great (Score:5, Funny)
Re:How many roads must a man walk down? (Score:3, Funny)
Further evidence FPS are best played with a mouse (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Quake Fit? (Score:4, Funny)
You mean just like going outside and taking a walk in real life? But why would I want to do that?
Mice vs. Managers (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Damn! (Score:5, Funny)
ZORT! NARF! ZOWIEE! (Score:5, Funny)
"Are you pondering what I am pondering, Pinky?"
"I think so Brain, but how can I bunny-hop over the lava when I'm a mouse?"
They're waiting for you. In the TEST CHAMBER. (Score:5, Funny)
Rats (Score:5, Funny)
Just thought I'd point out that
despite all my rage, I am still just a rat in a cage.
Re:What are we going to do today, Brain? (Score:3, Funny)
I was thinking something different -
4. Pay per view!
or maybe -
4. UMFC (Ultimate Mouse Fighting Championship)
Re:mice or men (Score:3, Funny)
Naw, they'll be too busy raiding the cheese shop in Stormwind.
Explains a lot (Score:4, Funny)
I wondered why the last arena I logged in to had the quad damage replaced by a wheel of cheese, and why the rocket pickups were shaped like little smudges of peanut butter.
Re:Oh great (Score:5, Funny)
Catching mice that get in my house is enough of a pain
Christ, now even my cat is posting on slashdot.
Re:What are we going to do today, Brain? (Score:4, Funny)
Mice? try hyperintelligent pandimensional beings (Score:2, Funny)
Mice already know how to interface with computers, having built the greatest computer in all space and time. The mice are running this quake experiment just so that they have a bit of fun "decommissioning" the hardware later.
Re:Mice? try hyperintelligent pandimensional being (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Quake Fit? (Score:5, Funny)
I can see numerous advantages to a virtual walk:
1) Not impacted by weather
2) Not possible to get run over by a virtual truck
3) Few financially losses from being virtually mugged
4) Fewer possibilities for disease when you virtually hook up with that virtually hottie you met on your virtual walk
Re:mice or men (Score:4, Funny)
If it was virtual cheese they were after, they'd need look no farther than these jokes, I think.
Re:Damn! (Score:5, Funny)
Um... Squeak?
Re:What are we going to do today, Brain? (Score:2, Funny)
Umm, I think so Brain. But why do we need polka dotted pants at a lan party? Narf!
Re:Damn! (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Open Source Helping Humanity (Score:4, Funny)
Seriously, what did they really learn from this?
They learned about brain structure and relationships between cognition and motor control.
You may not think that's worth it, but we've done a lot worse to mice than non-lethal brain surgery in order to learn a lot less.
I wouldn't let anyone involved in this kind of experiment date my sister.
*puts down bouquet of flowers, scalpel, and bundle of electrodes*
Man, you're no fun.
Upcoming arcade game... (Score:3, Funny)
BFG (Score:1, Funny)
I know this map.
The mouse is running straight for the BFG (Big F**** Gouda)
Re:Quake Fit? (Score:2, Funny)
Just one downside about that virtual hottie... his name's Stan and he's a 50-year-old welder. That would never happen in real life. No sir, not to me :-|