A 3D fruit fly on macOS desktop powered by the real FlyWire connectome
A developer has created a macOS desktop application featuring a 3D fruit fly model driven by a real-time simulation of the FlyWire connectome. The simulation uses actual neuron data to replicate the fly's biological responses to cursor movement and environmental stimuli.
Why it matters
It demonstrates the intersection of biological neuroscience and procedural animation, showcasing how complex neural data can be used to drive realistic, non-scripted digital behavior.
A 3D fruit fly that lives on your macOS desktop — driven by a live spiking simulation of the real FlyWire connectome. It walks across your windows, grooms, sleeps, and decides to flee your cursor with the same neurons a real fly uses.
The fly's brain window: 23,210 real neuron soma positions from FlyWire v783, with live spikes flashing at real neuron locations. The two glowing yellow markers are the Giant Fibers — the escape command neurons. Click any region to stimulate it.
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