(Credit: Alex Wormuth)
Researchers recently used AI to create a brain map of a male fruit fly, and what better way to take advantage of that breakthrough than to use it to play Doom?
The team from HHMI Janelia, Google Research, and other collaborators say their "years-long project," which includes more than 166,000 neurons, "promises to be a foundational resource for neuroscience for years to come." But as PC Gamer reports, it also inspired people like Coinbase software engineer Alex Wormuth to train the fly brain to play Doom and other games.
“Each Doom frame stimulates sensory neurons [in the fly brain],” Wormuth tweeted. “Neural activity is mapped to game controls. Damage triggers a stimulus to two PPL101 dopamine cells as reinforcement.” Wormuth’s website shows both the fly’s POV and a third-person fly cam, but as PC Gamers notes, the fruit fly is not very good at Doom. I could probably whoop its ass.
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Hacker and developer Domi got the fly playing shooters, too. “The visuals are rendered into the fly eyes and brain decides where to turn. The courtship song is responsible for shooting,” Domi explains. “The more aroused the fly is the harder it tries to shoot.” You can try out Domi's project, called Aimbug, here.
Others have chimed in on X with their own projects, from a Fly Escape Room and a driving fly to a NeuroCraft Fly project inside Minecraft. Shout out to all the researchers, scientists, and engineers who made it possible for the male fruit fly to get a comprehensive education in video game history with these essential texts.
About Our Expert
I’m a New York-based writer currently serving as PCMag’s Editorial Intern. I cover the impact of technology and internet culture on our daily lives, with a specialization in video games and cultural criticism.
I have written for Kotaku, The A.V. Club, Unwinnable, Aftermath, and more. In addition, I have a formal background in video game development and visual design. You can find all of my work on my website.
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