Insects modify their behaviour depending on the feedback sensor used when walking on a trackball in virtual reality

Area of Science:

• Behavioral neuroscience
• Animal behavior
• Virtual reality systems

Background:

• Accurate measurement of animal behavior is crucial in virtual reality (VR) experiments, especially in closed-loop systems.
• Various sensor types are used, but their impact on animal behavior in VR has been understudied.
• Understanding sensor effects is vital for reliable VR-based behavioral research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how different sensor systems affect animal behavior in closed-loop VR experiments.
• To determine if honeybees modify their behavior in response to sensor accuracy.
• To assess the implications of sensor choice on VR experimental outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Experiments conducted with tethered honeybees walking on an air-supported trackball.
• Visual stimulus presented in a closed-loop VR paradigm.
• Trackball motion measured using traditional optical motion sensors (computer mice) and a computer vision algorithm (FicTrac).

Main Results:

• Honeybees walked faster and straighter paths when using less accurate computer mouse sensors compared to FicTrac.
• Bees adapted their behavior to improve stimulus control when using computer mouse sensors.
• This adaptation was linked to systematic errors and reduced sensitivity in the mouse sensor system.

Conclusions:

• Honeybees can fine-tune motor control to optimize task outcomes in response to sensor feedback.
• Sensor system choice significantly influences animal behavior in VR experiments.
• Caution is necessary when designing VR experiments to avoid unintended animal responses to artificial scenarios.