Rats Play Doom

Summary

Intro We built a complete VR setup from scratch to let rats play DOOM. The system includes a motion-tracked treadmill ball, a panoramic headset, an input trigger, and a reward circuit. All hardware and software components are open sourced, including 3D-printable designs, circuit diagrams, firmware, and control software. The first version (v1) was built in New York by Viktor, who trained rats to walk through a corridor in DOOM using a simpler rig. That version was featured on Vice and PC Gamer. After moving back home, the project was paused. Public interest reignited development, leading to v2, a more advanced and modular version built in collaboration with electrical engineer Sándor Makra. Akos Blaschek later assisted significantly in documenting the project for open-sourcing, aiming to enable others to replicate and build upon this work. Key metallic components were designed and sourced in collaboration with SZURWIN KFT. V1 Basic ball setup Rats trained to run forward Minimal sensors and mechanics No panoramic screen Rat VR Setup Version 1 V2 New ball driver mechanism for smoother movement Foldable AMOLED screen with 180° horizontal and 80° vertical FOV, Full HD resolution Upgraded sensors for movement tracking Reinforced feeder system with mixing motor Modular 3D-printable components Improved electronics reliability and safety Rat VR Setup Version 2 Full setup from side showing rat on ball, screen around, trigger, and water tube. Limitations We reached the point of rat habituation but didn’t start training. Our rats (Todd, Kojima, Gabe) aged out before full testing. The setup works, but behavioral validation is pending. Hardware The hardware is a comprehensive VR rig designed for rodents. It consists of a motion-tracked sphere that captures the rat's movements, a custom-built trigger for in-game actions, a curved panoramic screen for visual immersion, and an automated reward system that dispenses sugar water to reinforce behavior. All these components are mounted ...