A team led by a South Korean professor has discovered a technology to control animals’ actions and feeling using miniaturized optoelectronics.

The team led by Sungkyunkwan University Professor Kim Tae-il inserted miniaturized optoelectronics into the brain of a mouse and succeeded in controlling the mouse’s actions.

Using the miniaturized optoelectronics, the team stimulated the part of the brain that released dopamine, a neurotransmitter, and controlled the mouse to stay at a certain location.

Mice whose dopamine had been stimulated had the tendency to react well to light and like bright places.

The research team is hoping to apply the new technology in treating incurable diseases, including Alzheimer’s and epilepsy.

The research results were published on the global journal, Science, on Friday.