Researchers used AI to teach rats how to move objects in VR by thinking about where they want them to go, resulting in an intriguing type of rat telekinesis that could help us better understand how the brain works.
The experiment is documented in a new study on the bioRxiv website.
- The researchers connected the rats to a trained AI that was able to learn the links between the rat's brain activity and the animal's perceived location in the virtual environment.
- The research showed that rats could think of where to move the ball within the environment and then move it there.
- The hope is that similar brain-interface machines could help people with paralysis to control different devices, allowing them to move with its assistance.
- The experiment suggests that rats can recall and even imagine moving to remote locations.
- Prior studies have demonstrated that rats exhibit decreased brain activity in VR mazes and have played a crucial part in VR anxiety research.