PhenoSys JetBall-TFT Virtual Reality System for rodents

Features Applications Specifications Options Gallery Basics Gallery Specials

Overview:

JetBall-TFT setup
TFT surround monitor system with 270°
JetBall air-cushion supported spherical treadmill
Large space for external setups, e.g. multi-photon microscopes or e-phys
High image contrast and luminance
Predefined experiments or create your own ones with our software
Data transfer system to combine JetBall data with external data
Video walk-around JetBall

Examples of neural dynamics during navigation and decision making in, e.g., a Corridor or T-Maze:

Intracellular dynamics and population activity of hippocampal place cells
Grid cell firing fields in virtual environments
Neocortical neural coding during decisions.

References and Literature:

“The virtual reality system from Phenosys allows us to perform stable electrophysiological recordings with glass electrodes and silicon probes from mice running on a jet ball. The combination of visual, olfactory and auditory stimuli combined with an online read-out of behavioural actions makes this system an ideal tool to study neuronal circuits in the operating brain. We have been successfully using this system to study gamma oscillations, place cells and spatial navigation in the hippocampus (Lasztoczi and Klausberger, Neuron 2014; Lasztoczi and Klausberger, Neuron 2016).”

Prof. Dr. Thomas Klausberger (MedUni Wien, Austria)

Vendrell-Llopis N, Read J, Boggiano S, Hetzler B, Peitsinis Z, Stanley C, Visel M, Trauner D, Donthamsetti P, Carmena J, Lammel S, Isacoff EY. Dopamine D1 receptor activation in the striatum is sufficient to drive reinforcement of anteceding cortical patterns. Neuron. 2025 Jan 12:S0896-6273(24)00912-7. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.12.013. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39814009.

Glorius, J. K., Wilson, L., Letsinger, A., Shirolkar, P., Cushman, J.
Behavioral Training Procedures for Head-fixed Virtual Reality in Mice. J. Vis. Exp. (211), e67312, doi:10.3791/67312 (2024).

Forro and Klausberger, Differential behavior-related activity of distinct hippocampal interneuron types during odor-associated spatial navigation, Neuron (2023), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2023.05.007

Viney TJ, Sarkany B, Ozdemir AT, Hartwich K, Schweimer J, Bannerman D, Somogyi P. (2022) Spread of pathological human Tau from neurons to oligodendrocytes and loss of high-firing pyramidal neurons in aging mice. Cell Rep. Nov 15;41(7):111646

Cho, W.-H., Noh, K., Lee, B. H., Barcelon E., Jun, S.B., Park, H. Y., Lee, S. J. (2022). Hippocampal astrocyes modulate anxiety-like behavior. Nature Communications.

Lee, B.H., Shim, J.Y., Moon, H. C., Kim, D. W., Kim, J., Yook, J. S., Kim, J. and Park, H.Y. (2022). Real-time visualization of mRNA synthesis during memoryformation in live mice. PNAS.

Sun W, Choi I, Stoyanov S, Senkov O, Ponimaskin E, Winter Y, Pakan JMP, Dityatev A. (2021) Context value updating and multidimensional neuronal encoding in the retrosplenial cortex. Nature Communications.

Henschke, J. U., Dylda, E., Katsanevaki, D., Dupuy, N., Currie, S. P., Amvrosiadis, T., … & Rochefort, N. L. (2020). Reward Association Enhances Stimulus-Specific Representations in Primary Visual Cortex. Current Biology.

Bourboulou, R., Marti, G., Michon, F. X., El Feghaly, E., Nouguier, M., Robbe, D., … & Epsztein, J. (2019). Dynamic control of hippocampal spatial coding resolution by local visual cues. Elife, 8, e44487.

Joshi, A., Salib, M., Viney, T. J., Dupret, D., & Somogyi, P. (2017). Behavior-dependent activity and synaptic organization of septo-hippocampal GABAergic neurons selectively targeting the hippocampal CA3 area. Neuron, 96(6), 1342-1357.

Lasztoczi B, Klausberger T. (2014) Layer-Specific GABAergic Control of Distinct Gamma Oscillations in the CA1 Hippocampus. Neuron, 81: 1126-1139 read more

Fuhrmann F. et al., 2015. Locomotion, Theta Oscillations, and the Speed-Correlated Firing of Hippocampal Neurons Are Controlled by a Medial Septal Glutamatergic Circuit. Neuron 86: 1–12 read more

Lasztoczi B, Klausberger T. (2016) Hippocampal Place Cells Couple to Three Different Gamma Oscillations during Place Field Traversal. Neuron, 91: 34–40 read more

Open field, T-maze, Y-maze, Plus-maze …

Be creative! Construct your own mazes with our software development tools. Arbitrary geometries, textures, and changing cues are possible

Play video and audio files that are fully integrated in the JetBall-TFT VR.

Add odor to create complex worlds connecting smell and location.

Dynamic translation of movement to VR. Open and close virtual gates. Change wall textures dynamically.

Record movement and replay it to the animal.

Teleport animal to access multiple maze environments. Let them explore different mazes in one experiment.

The sky is the limit …

What can we do for you?

Contact us today!

TFT Monitor Ring
Screen arrangement	octagonal, six TFT sub-units
Viewing angle	270°, from center position
Height	44 cm
Weight	30 kg

JetBall Spherical Treadmill, 20 cm for Mice
Ball Holder lenght	20 cm
Ball Holder width	20 cm
Ball Holder height	8 cm
Ball Holder height with ball (without air flow)	21 cm
Ball Holder weight	5.5 kg
Ball Holder material	Aluminium
Ball diameter	20 cm
Ball material	Polystyrene

JetBall Spherical Treadmill, 30 cm for Rats (<300g)
Ball Holder lenght	30.2 cm
Ball Holder width	30.2 cm
Ball Holder height	12.0 cm
Ball Holder height with ball (without air flow)	31.0 cm
Ball Holder weight	19.8 kg
Ball Holder material	Aluminium
Ball diameter	30 cm
Ball material	Polystyrene

Power
Power input voltage	100-240 V AC
Power consumption	850 W (maximal), 500 W (typical)

Pressure Regulation
Flow meter	4-50 l/min, for experiments: 25 l/min
Pressure regulator	6 bar (maximum), for experiments: 2 bar
Sound pressure level	48-52 dBA (top of the ball, 1 cm distance from the ball, air flow 20 l/min)

Lick Sensor
Material (outer cover)	Polyvinyl chloride

XY-Motion-Sensor
Resolution	200-5700 dpi
Max. speed	Up to 4.19 m/s

Peristaltic Pump
Typical flow rate	0.45 ml/min

Movable Rack
Width	59.5 cm
Depth	62.0 cm
Height (without control monitor)	98.5 cm

Category	Option	Description
JetBall Basic Package	For mice, 20cm Spherical Treadmill System. For rats (<300g), 30cm Spherical Treadmill System.	TFT Monitor Surround System 270°, Spherical Treadmill (Ball Holder, two balls), Dual XY-Motion Sensor, movable rack, computer (pre-installed: PhenoSoft Control, PhenoSoft Schedule, PhenoSoft VR, Virtual Corridor 2 m, control monitor, keyboard, computer mouse, power supply unit, pressure regulator system (compressor is not included).
Virtual Mazes	Endless Corridor T-Maze Y-Maze Plus-Maze Open Field 1 m	Each maze is available with mode for free or linear run.
Ball Holder	Ball Holder System 20cm, for mice. Ball Holder System 30cm, for rats (<300 g).	Basic package includes one Ball Holder. Also useable as a stand-alone product without a virtual reality system.
Additional Ball Holder	Ball Holder System 20cm, for mice. Ball Holder System 30cm, for rats (<300 g).	For training or alternating use with mice and rats.
Ball	Ball 20cm for mice. Ball 30cm for rats (<300 g).	Two balls are included in the Basic Package.
Replacement Balls	Ball 20cm for mice. Ball 30cm for rats (<300 g).
Positive Reward	Liquid Reward System, 20cm. Liquid Reward System, 30cm.	Retractable: position is adjustable, servo-driven. Lick Sensor: a drop of water is only delivered when the animal licks.
Negative Reward	Air Puff System, 20cm. Air Puff System, 30cm.	Frontal air puff.
Whisker Stimulation	Whisker Stimulation System, 20cm. Whisker Stimulation System, 30cm.	Air flow when animal is approaching virtual walls. Twin system for left and right whiskers, position adjustable.
Brakes	Brake System, 20cm. Brake System, 30cm.	To stop the spherical treadmill, e.g. at the end of a virtual corridor or after a wrong decision in a Y-maze
Acoustic	Stereo Sound System	E.g. to use a sound as a landmark.
Odor	Olfactometer	E.g. to combine an odor with a landmark.
Decision Making	Steering wheel rotational input device	For standardized left/right decision making tasks
Linear Treadmill	SpeedBelt	For voluntary linear motion
Social Response	SocialEncounter add-on	A smooth linear motion brings an interaction partner closer to the tested animal in a perfectly controlled way.
Fixation System	Head Holder for mice with 4 bars. Implantable bars with apertures Bars with reduced size	For optogenetics, imaging or electrophysiology.

Overview of the JetBall-TFT System

Surround Monitor with virtual reality scene
JetBall spherical treadmill: aluminium Ball Holder with polystyrene ball and the various operant modules
Four mounting rails on top of the surround monitor for, e.g., optional speakers.

JetBall Spherical Treadmill

Aluminium Ball Holder with polystyrene ball and the various operant modules (view from the top). The modules are highlighted in the following pictures.

Liquid Reward System

Mounted on the retractable operant device of the Ball Holder. A piezo-based lick sensor (Lick Sensor) is integrated into a cannula; there is an amplifier (black box with knob) with adjustable sensitivity.

Air Puff System

Mounted on the retractable operant device of the Ball Holder. It consists of a metal tube connected by plastic tubing to a valve. Tubing behind the valve connects to the flow meter and the compressed air system.

Brake System

With two lateral and a frontal servo-driven brake.

Whisker Stimulation

Consisting of two metal tubes mounted on articulated arms that are attached to the Ball Holder. Plastic tubing connects to the valves of the compressed air system.

Dual XY-Motion Sensor

Two xy-sensors measure the rotation of the polystyrene ball in x, y and z (yaw, pitch, roll).

Body Fixation

Ball Holder (view from the side) with holder for fixing the mouse (on the right side).

Control Unit with Movable Rack

Control monitor
Keyboard and computer mouse
Pressure regulator system with flow meter and pressure regulator (second pressure regulator for air puff/whisker stimulation)
Computer
Power supply unit.

PhenoSoft Control – User Interface

Basic experimental control software used with all products by PhenoSys. Control of hardware components.

PhenoSoft Control – Log File

The log file containing the experimental data is written in a CSV format and is automatically saved.

PhenoSoft Schedule

Experimental schedules are defined with the help of state diagrams by using predefined activities from PhenoSoft.

JetBall with customized TFT surround monitor ring.

Double door configuration, partially opened.

Customized solution for 2-photon microscope

TFT ring with double doors. The two central screens are foldable and allow easy access to the interior of the TFT-monitor ring.

TFT monitor ring with double doors and VR display. Fully opened.

Femtonics Integration

JetBall-TFT for mice with a Femto2D microscope from the company Femtonics.

Olympus Integration

JetBall-TFT for mice (20cm ball) with a FVMPE-RS from Olympus.

Booth Olympus, FOM 2015.

SocialEncounter add-on.

A smooth linear motion brings an interaction partner closer to the tested animal in a perfectly controlled way.