A system and method for detecting bottom-up attention in mice

Abstract

The application provides a mouse bottom-up attention detection system and method, and relates to the technical field of attention detection, and comprises a head-mounted camera system, a head-mounted gyroscope and a stimulus generation system. The head-mounted camera system is used for detecting the head of a freely moving mouse to monitor and evaluate relevant indexes of attention shift in real time. The head-mounted gyroscope is used for detecting the head movement of the mouse to capture its reaction to external significant stimuli. The stimulus generation system is used for providing various significant sensory stimuli to the mouse. The application provides an animal model detection system for bottom-up attention, fills the blank of lack of effective detection indexes in the field, and can accurately capture the eye movement and head movement of the mouse under external significant stimuli by combining the head-mounted camera system and the head-mounted gyroscope, so as to provide more accurate and reliable data support for the detection of bottom-up attention.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of attention detection, in particular to a mouse bottom-up attention detection system and method. BACKGROUND

[0002] Attention, as a key psychological phenomenon, selectively focuses on external or internal stimuli, is of great significance for the survival and adaptation of organisms. Attention mechanism is usually divided into top-down and bottom-up two types. Top-down attention is driven by individual intention, goal or task, and is closely related to active search and goal-oriented behavior. In contrast, bottom-up attention is naturally triggered by salient stimuli in the external environment, and is usually an unconscious automatic response, independent of individual will.

[0003] In the field of neuroscience and psychology, significant progress has been made in the study of top-down attention. A large number of studies use animal models to explore the internal principles of this mechanism. However, the study of bottom-up attention is relatively less, especially in establishing animal models to detect this automatic triggered attention shift still faces many challenges. Therefore, we improve it and propose a mouse bottom-up attention detection system and method. SUMMARY

[0004] The purpose of the present application is to solve the problem that the study of bottom-up attention is relatively less.

[0005] In order to achieve the above application purpose, the present application provides a mouse bottom-up attention detection system and method to improve the above problems.

[0006] The present application is specifically as follows:

[0007] A mouse bottom-up attention detection system, comprising:

[0008] A head-mounted camera system, which is used to detect the head of a freely moving mouse when installed, to monitor and evaluate relevant indicators of attention shift in real time;

[0009] A head-mounted gyroscope, which is used to detect the head movement of the mouse to capture its reaction to external salient stimuli;

[0010] A stimulus generation system, which is used to provide a variety of salient sensory stimuli to the mouse.

[0011] As a preferred technical solution of the present application, the data processing and analysis module is connected with the head-mounted camera system, the head-mounted gyroscope and the stimulus generation system, and is used to receive data from the head-mounted camera system and the head-mounted gyroscope, and to perform real-time or offline analysis to determine the eye movement and head movement characteristics of the mouse when facing external significant stimuli, so as to evaluate the bottom-up attention response of the mouse.

[0012] As a preferred technical solution of the present application, the relevant indicators for evaluating attention transfer include the eye movement, pupil change and head movement of the mouse.

[0013] As a preferred technical solution of the present application, the sensory stimulus includes sudden light change, sound stimulus and air blowing stimulus to induce the bottom-up attention transfer response of the mouse.

[0014] As a preferred technical solution of the present application, the head-mounted camera system uses a high-speed camera to accurately capture the slight changes in the eye movement of the mouse, including the trajectory, speed and acceleration of the eyeball movement.

[0015] As a preferred technical solution of the present application, the stimulus generation system includes a programmable light source, a sound generator and an ear cleaning ball to simulate significant sensory stimuli.

[0016] A method for detecting bottom-up attention of a mouse, using a mouse bottom-up attention detection system, comprising: applying significant sensory stimuli to the mouse using a stimulus generation system; recording the eye movement and head movement data of the mouse using a head-mounted camera system and a head-mounted gyroscope; transmitting the recorded data to a data processing and analysis module for real-time or offline analysis; and evaluating the bottom-up attention characteristics and response patterns of the mouse when facing external significant stimuli according to the analysis results.

[0017] As a preferred technical solution of the present application, the mouse eye movement speed (V_e) is calculated according to the following formula: ;

[0018] Where (x1, y1) and (x2, y2) are the coordinates of the eyeball position of the mouse at two different times, and Δt is the time interval between the two times.

[0019] As a preferred technical solution of the present application, the mouse head rotation angular velocity (ω_h) is calculated according to the following formula: ω_h=(θ2-θ1) / Δt;

[0020] Where θ1 and θ2 are the rotation angles of the head of the mouse at two different times, and Δt is the time interval between the two times.

[0021] As the preferred technical scheme of the present application, the step of evaluating the attention concentration degree of the mouse is further included, and the calculation formula of the pupil diameter change rate (R_p) is: R_p = ((D2-D1) / D1) * 100%, wherein D1 is the pupil diameter of the mouse in the initial state, and D2 is the pupil diameter of the mouse after being stimulated by the external stimulus.

[0022] Compared with the prior art, the present application has the following beneficial effects:

[0023] In the scheme of the present application:

[0024] The animal model detection system for bottom-up attention is proposed, which fills the blank of lack of effective detection index in the field; by combining the head-mounted camera system and the head-mounted gyroscope, the present application can accurately capture the eye movement and head movement of the mouse under external significant stimulation, and provide more accurate and reliable data support for the detection of bottom-up attention; the present application provides a new way and tool for the research in the field of neuroscience, psychology and the like, and helps to promote the in-depth research on the mechanism of bottom-up attention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0025] Figure 1 The structure schematic diagram of the mouse wearing the head-mounted camera system is provided in the present application;

[0026] Figure 2 The eye movement speed schematic diagram is provided in the present application;

[0027] Figure 3 The eye movement speed heat map is provided in the present application;

[0028] Figure 4 The structure schematic diagram of the mouse wearing the head-mounted gyroscope is provided in the present application;

[0029] Figure 5 The head movement index schematic diagram is provided in the present application;

[0030] Figure 6 The head movement index heat map is provided in the present application;

[0031] Figure 7 The eye original picture diagram is provided in the present application;

[0032] Figure 8 The AI recognition pupil contour schematic diagram is provided in the present application;

[0033] Figure 9 The pupil contour simulation diagram is provided in the present application;

[0034] Figure 10 The pupil movement trajectory diagram is provided in the present application;

[0035] Figure 11 A pupil movement heat map is provided. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] In order to make the personnel in the technical field better understand the present application scheme, the technical scheme in the embodiment of the present application will be described clearly and completely below in combination with the drawings in the embodiment of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present application, not all. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by the person skilled in the art without creative labor should belong to the scope of protection of the present application.

[0037] It should be noted that the embodiments in the present application and the features and technical solutions in the embodiments can be combined with each other without conflict.

[0038] It should be noted that: similar reference numbers and letters represent similar items in the following drawings, so once an item is defined in one drawing, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent drawings.

[0039] Embodiment 1, please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 4 A mouse top-down attention detection system, comprising:

[0040] A head-mounted camera system 1, which is used to detect the head of a freely moving mouse when installed, to monitor relevant indicators of attention shift in real time. This design can detect the mouse in a free activity state, which maximizes the restoration of the mouse's natural state of attention performance. In a natural state, the mouse's behavior is not restricted too much, and its attention performance is more authentic and reliable. Compared with the traditional detection method of restricting mouse activity, this method avoids unnatural reactions that may be caused by restricting activity, making the detection results more accurately reflect the mouse's attention situation in actual life. Through real-time monitoring, researchers can obtain the dynamic changes of the mouse's attention shift in time, providing rich data support for in-depth analysis of the mouse's attention mechanism.

[0041] A head-mounted gyroscope 2, which is used to detect the head movement of the mouse to capture its reaction to external significant stimuli. The head-mounted gyroscope 2 can accurately detect the movement of the mouse's head, providing a key basis for judging the degree of the mouse's reaction to external stimuli. Head movement is one of the important forms of the mouse's reaction to external stimuli, and through the head-mounted gyroscope 2, these subtle movement changes can be captured in time and accurately. This accurate detection helps researchers better understand the reaction patterns of the mouse when facing different stimuli, so as to better analyze the changes of its attention.

[0042] The stimulus generation system is used to provide a plurality of significant sensory stimuli to the mouse, and the provision of a plurality of sensory stimuli enriches the detection means and can more comprehensively induce the attention shift response of the mouse. Different types of sensory stimuli, such as sudden light changes and sound stimuli, can stimulate the attention of the mouse from different aspects. For example, instantaneous strong light irradiation can cause visual alertness of the mouse, and sharp high-frequency sound can stimulate the auditory system of the mouse to cause its attention to shift. Through diversified stimulation methods, a wider range of attention induction conditions can be covered, and the detection results are more representative and reliable, which helps researchers to deeply understand the attention response mechanism of the mouse under different stimulation conditions, and provides a more comprehensive perspective for related research.

[0043] For the convenience of description and understanding, A is used to represent the mouse in this application, and is marked in the figure.

[0044] In Example 2, the mouse bottom-up attention detection system provided in Example 1 is further optimized, specifically, a data processing and analysis module is further included, which is connected with the head-mounted camera system 1, the head-mounted gyroscope 2 and the stimulus generation system, for receiving data from the head-mounted camera system 1 and the head-mounted gyroscope 2, and performing real-time or offline analysis to determine the eye movement and head movement characteristics of the mouse when facing external significant stimuli, to evaluate its bottom-up attention response.

[0045] The addition of the data processing and analysis module brings great advantages to the detection system. First, it can analyze the collected data in real time or offline, improving the flexibility and efficiency of data analysis. Real-time analysis can allow researchers to understand the attention changes of the mouse during the experiment in a timely manner, so as to adjust the experimental parameters in a timely manner according to the actual situation, to ensure the accuracy and effectiveness of the experiment. Offline analysis can perform more in-depth research on a large amount of data after the experiment is completed, and can mine more valuable information through complex data analysis algorithms, so as to more accurately evaluate the bottom-up attention characteristics of the mouse. Secondly, by determining the eye movement and head movement characteristics of the mouse when facing external stimuli, the attention of the mouse can be comprehensively evaluated from multiple angles, providing more abundant basis for in-depth research on the mechanism of attention.

[0046] Further, the relevant indicators for assessing attention shift include eye movement, pupil change and head movement of the mouse. It is of great significance to use eye movement, pupil change and head movement as relevant indicators for assessing attention shift. Eye movement is a direct manifestation of attention. By observing the movement trajectory, speed and acceleration of the mouse's eyeball, the direction and shift of the mouse's attention can be directly understood. Pupil change reflects the physiological state and attention concentration of the mouse. When the mouse has a strong reaction to external stimuli, the pupil often changes significantly. By comprehensively considering eye movement, pupil change and head movement, the attention shift of the mouse can be more comprehensively understood, providing researchers with more abundant information. In addition, the combination of the two indicators can also confirm each other, improving the accuracy and reliability of the detection results.

[0047] Further, the sensory stimulation includes sudden light change, sound stimulation and air blowing stimulation to induce the bottom-up attention shift reaction of the mouse.

[0048] Further, the head-mounted camera system 1 uses a high-speed camera to accurately capture the slight changes in the mouse's eye movement, including the trajectory, speed and acceleration of the eyeball movement. The application of high-speed camera greatly improves the accuracy of mouse eye movement detection. It can accurately capture the slight changes in the mouse's eye movement and provide more detailed data for analyzing the mouse's attention. The parameters such as the trajectory, speed and acceleration of the eyeball movement can reflect the dynamic change process of the mouse's attention, which is of great significance for studying the neural mechanism of attention. Through the accurate detection of the high-speed camera, some subtle changes that are difficult to detect by traditional detection methods can be found, providing new clues and basis for in-depth study of the mouse's attention.

[0049] Further, the stimulus generation system includes programmable light source, sound generator and ear cleaning ball to simulate significant sensory stimulation. The programmable stimulus generation system brings great flexibility to experimental design. Researchers can generate various intensity, frequency and duration of stimulation signals according to different experimental needs, so as to accurately control the parameters of the stimulation. This makes the experiment more targeted to study the attention response of the mouse under different stimulation conditions, improving the controllability and accuracy of the experiment. At the same time, the programmable stimulus generation system can also realize automatic experimental operation, reducing the interference of human factors and improving the reliability and repeatability of the experiment.

[0050] Embodiment 3, a method for detecting bottom-up attention of a mouse, using a system for detecting bottom-up attention of a mouse, comprising: applying a significant sensory stimulus to the mouse using a stimulus generation system; recording eye movement and head movement data of the mouse using a head-mounted camera system 1 and a head-mounted gyroscope 2; transmitting the recorded data to a data processing and analysis module for real-time or offline analysis; according to the analysis result, evaluating the bottom-up attention characteristics and reaction mode of the mouse when facing external significant stimuli;

[0051] The experimental results show that after giving strong external stimulus, the eye movement and head movement of the mouse will appear a short pause, this pause phenomenon is consistent with the characteristics of bottom-up attention, indicating that when the mouse faces sudden external stimulus, its attention will automatically shift, accompanied by the delay of eye movement and head movement;

[0052] When external significant stimulus triggers bottom-up attention, it will usually be reflected through the reaction of eye movement and head movement, which is unconscious and rapid, consistent with the characteristics of bottom-up attention. The system can effectively evaluate the reaction of animals to external stimulus by monitoring the eye movement and head movement of the mouse, and provides a new method and tool for the detection of bottom-up attention.

[0053] Further, it also includes calculating the eye movement speed (V_e) of the mouse, and the calculation formula is: ;

[0054] Where (x1, y1) and (x2, y2) are the coordinates of the mouse's eyeball position at two different times, and Δt is the time interval between the two times. This formula calculates the change distance of the mouse's eyeball position in a certain time divided by the time interval to accurately obtain the eye movement speed of the mouse, which can more carefully reflect the speed of the eyeball movement of the mouse when facing external stimulus; faster eye movement speed indicates that the mouse pays more attention to the stimulus and the attention shifts quickly; while slower eye movement speed means that the mouse's attention is more dispersed or insensitive to the stimulus. This quantitative analysis helps researchers better understand the attention mechanism of the mouse and provides more accurate data support for related research.

[0055] Further, it also includes calculating the head rotation angular velocity (ω_h) of the mouse, and the calculation formula is: ω_h=(θ2-θ1) / Δt;

[0056] Wherein θ1 and θ2 are the rotation angles of the mouse's head at two different times, and Δt is the time interval between the two times, the formula calculates the angular velocity by the change in the head rotation angle within the time interval, which can quantify the speed of the mouse's head rotation in response to external stimuli, helping to analyze the mouse's attention response mechanism in depth. Faster head rotation angular velocity may indicate that the mouse's response to the stimulus is more rapid and the attention shift is more obvious. This quantitative analysis helps researchers to study the mouse's attention response mechanism in depth, providing important clues for revealing the neurobiological basis of attention.

[0057] Further, it also includes the step of evaluating the mouse's attention concentration, which is achieved by calculating the pupil diameter change rate (R_p), with the formula being: R_p = ((D2-D1) / D1) x 100%, where D1 is the pupil diameter of the mouse in the initial state, and D2 is the pupil diameter of the mouse after being subjected to external stimuli. This formula compares the change in pupil diameter before and after stimulation, and obtains the pupil diameter change rate by multiplying the ratio of the change to the initial diameter by 100%. It can intuitively reflect the change in the mouse's attention concentration when facing stimuli. The greater the change in pupil diameter, the more significant the change in attention concentration may be.

[0058] The specific experimental process is as follows:

[0059] (I) Experimental preparation stage; select appropriate mice: select several healthy, lively, age and breed similar mice to reduce the influence of individual differences on experimental results; install the head-mounted camera system 1 and the head-mounted gyroscope 2 on the mouse's head, ensure firm fixation and do not cause discomfort to the mouse, adjust the position of the equipment to ensure that it can accurately capture the mouse's eye movement and head movement, connect the data processing and analysis module to ensure normal communication between the devices, debug the stimulus generation system, check the functions of the programmable light source and sound generator to ensure that it can generate stimulus signals of various intensities, frequencies and durations according to the preset program;

[0060] (II) Adaptation period: place the mouse with the installed equipment into the experimental environment and let it adapt for a period of time (e.g. 30 minutes), during which no external stimuli are applied, only the natural behavior and physiological state of the mouse are recorded as control data for subsequent experiments;

[0061] (III) Stimulation period:

[0062] Light stimulation: use the programmable light source for instantaneous light irradiation stimulation, each stimulation lasts for a certain period of time, and the next stimulation is performed after a period of time; during the stimulation process, the head-mounted camera system 1 and the head-mounted gyroscope 2 are used to record the mouse's eye movement and head movement data;

[0063] Sound stimulation: sharp high-frequency sound and low-frequency sound stimulation is emitted, and the intensity, frequency and duration of the sound stimulation can be adjusted according to the experimental requirements. At the same time, the relevant data of the mouse are recorded during the stimulation process;

[0064] Blowing stimulation: press the ear bulb to blow air to the face of the mouse through the hose, blow to the face / hair of the mouse, and the outlet is about 3cm away from the face of the mouse, so as to give the mouse tactile stimulation;

[0065] (Four) recovery period; stop all external stimulation, and let the mouse rest in the experimental environment for a period of time (for example, 15 minutes), observe the behavior and physiological state of the mouse, and record the process of the mouse recovering to the normal state, and the data are shown in Figure 2 、 Figure 3 and Figures 5-11 ;

[0066] (Five) data analysis stage, the recorded data are transmitted to the data processing and analysis module for real-time or offline analysis, the eye movement speed (V_e), the head rotation angular velocity (ω_h) and the pupil diameter change rate (R_p) of the mouse are calculated, and the calculation formula is used for calculation; the eye movement and head movement characteristics of the mouse when facing external significant stimulation are analyzed, and the reaction of the bottom-up attention of the mouse is evaluated.

[0067] In the present application, unless otherwise specifically defined and limited, the terms "mounting", "connecting", "connecting", "fixing" and the like should be understood broadly, for example, it can be fixed connection, or detachable connection, or integrated; it can be mechanical connection, or electrical connection or communication with each other; it can be directly connected, or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal communication of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements, unless otherwise specifically limited. For ordinary skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the present application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0068] Obviously, the above-described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present application, and are not all the embodiments. The preferred embodiments of the present application are shown in the drawings, but do not limit the patent scope of the present application. The present application can be realized in many different forms, and on the contrary, the purpose of providing these embodiments is to make the disclosure of the present application more thorough and comprehensive. Although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art can still modify the technical solutions recorded in the foregoing embodiments, or make equivalent replacement to part of the technical features. Any equivalent structure made by using the contents of the present application specification and drawings, directly or indirectly applied to other related technical fields, is also within the patent protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A method for detecting bottom-up attention of a mouse using a system for detecting bottom-up attention of a mouse, characterized by, The mouse bottom-up attention detection system comprises: a head-mounted camera system (1) for detecting the head of a freely moving mouse to monitor relevant indicators of attention shift in real time; a head-mounted gyroscope (2) for detecting the head movement of the mouse to capture its response to external salient stimuli; a stimulus generation system for providing various salient sensory stimuli to the mouse; applying salient sensory stimuli to the mouse using the stimulus generation system; recording the eye movement and head movement data of the mouse using the head-mounted camera system (1) and the head-mounted gyroscope (2); transmitting the recorded data to a data processing and analysis module for real-time or offline analysis; based on the analysis results, evaluating the bottom-up attention characteristics and response patterns of the mouse when facing external salient stimuli; the relevant indicators of attention shift include the eye movement, pupil changes and head movement of the mouse; Also included is calculating the mouse eye movement velocity (V_e) with the formula: ; where (x1, y1) and (x2, y2) are the coordinates of the eyeball position of the mouse at two different times, and Δt is the time interval between the two times; further comprising calculating the head rotation angular velocity (ω_h) of the mouse, the calculation formula is: ω_h=(θ2-θ1) / Δt; where θ1 and θ2 are the rotation angles of the mouse head at two different times, and Δt is the time interval between the two times; further comprising the step of evaluating the attention concentration degree of the mouse, which is realized by calculating the pupil diameter change rate (R_p), the calculation formula is: R_p=((D2-D1) / D1)×100%, where D1 is the pupil diameter of the mouse in the initial state, and D2 is the pupil diameter of the mouse after being stimulated by external stimuli.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the mouse attention is detected from bottom to top. further comprising a data processing and analysis module connected with the head-mounted camera system (1), the head-mounted gyroscope (2) and the stimulus generation system, for receiving data from the head-mounted camera system (1) and the head-mounted gyroscope (2), and performing real-time or offline analysis to determine the eye movement and head movement characteristics of the mouse when facing external salient stimuli, so as to evaluate its bottom-up attention response.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the mouse attention is detected from bottom to top. The sensory stimuli include sudden light changes, sound stimuli and air blowing stimuli to induce the bottom-up attention shift response of the mouse.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the mouse attention is detected from bottom to top. The head-mounted camera system (1) uses a high-speed camera to accurately capture the subtle changes in the eye movement of the mouse, including the trajectory, speed and acceleration of the eyeball movement.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the mouse attention is detected from bottom to top. The stimulus generation system includes a programmable light source, a sound generator and an ear cleaning ball to simulate salient sensory stimuli.

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