Visuo-spatial processing in retrosplenial cortex

We aim to improve the methods available to investigate how neural circuits in the brain represent and process information using virtual environments to study the mouse brain. A major drawback of current virtual reality (VR) systems is the lack of vestibular stimulation, which effectively disables the brain’s internal compass.

We have developed a novel VR prototype which overcomes this limitation. With the help of a prototyping engineer, we will develop an open-source version for use by other laboratories. Open-source research equipment is economical, easy-to-build and can be easily adapted to new experiments. Curated open-hardware tools have allowed the unprecedented spread of cutting-edge experimental techniques. To reach as many users as possible, we will publish a methods paper and collaborate with the translation team at The Francis Crick Institute.

We will turn our prototype into a system which can be easily and economically incorporated into existing mouse VR set-ups or used alone by researchers around the world.