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Lab Rats Given "Sixth Sense"

Posted by samzenpus on from the because-they-can dept.

puddingebola writes "Researchers have given lab rats the ability to sense infrared light through a brain implant. From the article, 'They taught the rats to choose the active light source by poking their noses into a port to receive a sip of water as a reward. They then implanted the microelectrodes, each about a tenth the diameter of a human hair, into the animals' brains. These electrodes were attached to the infrared detectors. The scientists then returned the animals to the test chamber. At first, the rats scratched at their faces, indicating that they were interpreting the lights as touch. But after a month, the animals learned to associate the signal in their brains with the infrared source.'"

9 of 78 comments (clear)

  1. Tracking and identifying by roboticon · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Interestingly the electrodes were implanted in the "tactile information" processor, so the infrared light is interpreted as touch. That would seem to mean that in "tracking" the source of the signal, the rats meander until the infrared light hits their eyes, and then head toward it as the strength of the touch signal increases.

    TFA says "a new sensory input can be interpreted by a region of the brain that normally does something else," but isn't the input just being "converted" into the sense of touch by activating that region of the brain?

    1. Re:Tracking and identifying by TheLink · · Score: 4, Informative

      You see with your brain too. If someone draws a simple picture on your palm or back, you can still "see" it in your mind.

      See also: http://discovermagazine.com/2003/jun/feattongue
      The brain is able to learn to see whether the picture is generated by touch or sound.

      And even with sound there are different ways for seeing,
      echolocation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLziFMF4DHA
      and some software that converts images to pitch and left-right volume: http://www.seeingwithsound.com/winvoice.htm

      Maybe what they could try is implant a sensory array to baby/young rats and see if they can add a extra video input to rats.

      --
    2. Re:Tracking and identifying by AK+Marc · · Score: 4, Interesting

      If you receive conflicting information, your brain will file it conveniently. "Touch" brain activated by light can be re-wired to be forwarded to vision. That was part of the result. They initially acted at first like it was "felt" as a touch. Later, they acted as if it was "seen".

      --
      Learn to love Alaska
  2. Re:It is not 6 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    You forgot 8) Humor

  3. Re:It is not 6 by Guppy06 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Why is that stupid term "Sixth Sense" still used?

    About 3000 years or so of cultural heritage, combined with general apathy on the subject from the public at large. The alliteration doesn't hurt, either.

    Have fun tilting at those windmills.

  4. Re:It is not 6 by nxcho · · Score: 5, Funny

    Actually Nr.6 is reserved for future use. 1) Sight 2) Hearing 3) Touch 4) Taste 5) Smell 6) 7) Temperature 8) Balance 9) Autokinectic etc

    --
    When asked why, the answer is almost always: "It's 2014".
  5. So they can... by Brad1138 · · Score: 4, Funny

    See dead people?

    --
    If you could reason with religious people, there would be no religious people
    1. Re:So they can... by Arancaytar · · Score: 4, Funny

      No, but they can see red people.

      (*rimshot*)

  6. Re:Can they get me by camperdave · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Children misbehaving? That's easy. Listen for a drop in the background noise levels. When they're quiet, they're up to something.

    --
    When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!