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Rats in the updated Rats Play Doom project can navigate a virtual DOOM environment and pull a physical lever that fires in the game. The project describes the work as a training and engineering demonstration—not proof that rats understand DOOM or have beaten it.
How the rats control DOOM
The setup translates physical actions into game inputs. A rat walks on a freely rotating ball, and sensors around the ball track its movement. A PC runs DOOM and the project software; a Raspberry Pi reads sensors in real time, actuates the ball, and controls the reward system.
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DOOM Eternal: Standard Edition - PlayStation 4 | $27.49 | Buy on Amazon |
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DOOM: The Dark Ages – Xbox Series X | $39.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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DOOM: The Dark Ages – PlayStation 5 | Buy on Amazon | |
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Doom - Xbox One | $26.99 | Buy on Amazon |
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DOOM + DOOM II (Limited Run Games #144) - for Playstation 5 | $44.48 | Buy on Amazon |
To shoot, a rat pulls a custom lever with its paw. The lever sits in a 3D-printed housing and uses a rotary encoder and stepper motor. The project says sugar water is dispensed after designated behaviors; its documentation specifies 10 µL reward doses. This is an externally sensed movement-and-lever system, not an invasive brain-computer interface.
What changed in the second version
The first rig offered a simpler demonstration: a rat moved on a ball, with movement mapped to forward travel through a narrow, customized DOOM II corridor. Version two expands both the environment and the available actions.
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| Feature | First version | Version two |
|---|---|---|
| Movement | Forward travel through a narrow, customized DOOM II corridor | Navigation using movement tracked from a free-spinning ball |
| Visual display | Simpler visual setup; a specific field of view and resolution are not stated in the project documentation | Curved, foldable AMOLED display; the project specifies 180° horizontal and 80° vertical field of view at Full HD resolution |
| Game inputs | Forward movement | Movement plus a paw-operated lever mapped to shooting |
| Feedback and reward | A reward circuit is not described for the first version in the project’s comparison | Air puffs can signal virtual wall collisions; a reward circuit dispenses sugar water after designated behaviors |
| Evidence status | A demonstration of forward movement | The project reports navigation and shooting behavior, while saying advanced training and full behavioral validation remain incomplete |
The updated design is a custom rodent VR and operant-training rig, not a conventional gaming setup scaled down for an animal. The project publishes hardware designs, circuit diagrams, firmware, and control software as open source. Its project documentation describes the build.
What the reported results show—and what they don’t
The project says its rats “successfully learned to navigate the virtual environment and trigger the shooting mechanism.” That is the project’s own account, not an independently validated scientific conclusion. PC Gamer reported that habituation took approximately two weeks per rat and quoted project lead Viktor Tóth saying advanced training was not completed because of time constraints. The project says the version-two rats reached habituation but aged out before full training.
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That means the demonstrated behavior should be described as learning to navigate and trigger shooting—not beating DOOM, completing a level, or understanding the game as a human player would. A 2020 essay by Tóth discussed cerebral control as an ambition; the current project documentation instead describes movement sensors, physical inputs, mechanical training, and rewards.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What remains uncertain
The project says full behavioral validation would require longer training. It also notes that cross-subject variability was not extensively studied and that the effects of prolonged VR exposure on rat well-being need further research. The sources cited here do not establish a peer-reviewed publication or independently reported sample size, so neither should be inferred from the demonstration.
Rank #3
- Developed by id Software, DOOM: The Dark Ages is the prequel to the critically acclaimed DOOM (2016) and DOOM Eternal that tells the epic cinematic origin story of the DOOM Slayer’s rage.
- In this third installment of the modern DOOM series, players will step into the blood-stained boots of the DOOM Slayer, in this never-before-seen dark and sinister medieval war against Hell.
- A dark fantasy/sci-fi single-player experience that delivers the searing combat and over-the-top visuals of the incomparable DOOM franchise, powered by the latest idTech engine. With a customizable difficulty system, it’s the perfect entry point whether you’re new to the franchise or a long time fan.
- As the super weapon of gods and kings, shred enemies with devastating favorites like the Super Shotgun while also wielding a variety of new bone-chewing weapons, including the versatile Shield Saw.
- Experience the origin story of the DOOM Slayer’s rage in this epic, cinematic, and action-packed story.
For the project’s own account of the rig and its stated limitations, see Rats Play Doom. Reporting on the updated setup appeared in Hackaday, Digitec, and PC Gamer.
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