Sniffy, the Virtual Rat

Sniffy is a digital rodent programmed by researchers at the University of Toronto. It mimics a caged rat. Starting with Sniffy pacing around its barren virtual box, users - who can range from primary school children to undergraduates - gradually train the rat to press a bar above a food dispenser. The systems requirements to run the program are: Windows 3.1 in 386 enhanced mode; 1.5 MB free memory with Windows loded; Microsoft mouse; colour monitor VGA; hard drive with 4MB free disk space; 486 machine. A departmental site licence is available.