Neuromechatronics

1. Neuromechatronics Instructors: Malcolm A. MacIver Matt Tresch TA: Aimee Schultz

2. motivation • neuroscience • how do nervous systems do what they do, especially the amazing things that animals can do • often not focused on technology or applications • engineering • how to build something, control things • understand as much as is needed for making the technology • neural engineering • building on what we understand about nervous systems with a view toward technological application • hardware or computational emphasis

3. motivation • two modes of neural engineering • building FOR technology • building FOR understanding • doing neural engineering as a method of inquiry • training for neural engineering • a lot of technical know-how to be shared • neural/biological skills, electronic/mechanical skills • neuromechatronics a convenient, if long-winded, term for the combination • knowing what is possible

4. motivation • neuromechatronics • put neural/musculoskeletal systems together with mechatronic systems • solve the many problems that result • the importance of closed loopiness • nervous systems are embedded into animals and feature high bandwidth connections to their environment • outside of this context, what we measure is subject to a variety of difficulties • this course therefore emphasizes neuromechatronic systems where the output of the mechatronic system is fed back to the animal or reduced preparation • but, not in vivo since this is too challenging for this course • the aim of the course is to develop practical skills for building neuromechatronic systems

5. some examples

6. outline for quarter • week 1: orientation, getting a feel for the signals and behavior of a pulse type African electric fish • week 2: efish I • mini lecture on electric fish signals, neuronal signals, signal acquisition, and useful ways of quantifying these signals • recording “action potentials” from live fish • basic signal processing of spikes • week 3: efish II • mini lecture on motor control, encoders • the novelty behavior of pulse fish • harnessing this behavior to an automated novelty stimulus (closing the loop) • either xPC or directly from matlab • studying habituation through this device • LAB REPORT DUE ONE WEEK LATER

7. outline for quarter • week 4 frog lab I • mini lecture: • properties of muscles, properties of muscle stimulation and FES, • details of the set up (either force transducer or imaging – or both) – frog dissection and EMG electrode design (Electrode principles) • frog hindlimb dissection – • EMG fabrication • stimulation of muscles • characterizing recruitment functions if we use transducer – force magnitude vs. stim strength – or movement direction vs. stim strength

8. outline for quarter • week 5 frog lab II • simulation of two muscle stimulation and control • alternatively could use DC motors to produce the forces or the movement that will be imaged • week 6 frog lab III • stimulate two muscles to control force direction or movement direction • week 7 roach lab I • mini lecture on cercel hair sensors, ventral nerve properties, invertebrate nervous systems • dissection of a cockroach • use of a suction electrode • acquisition of multiunit activity representing wind speed

9. outline for quarter • week 8 roach lab II • dissection and recording setup • processing of the multiunit activity to drive an airflow source, as well as direction or flow rate, in real time • weeks 9&10: roach lab III/individual projects/spare for when needed

10. admin stuff • groups • reichardt – southwest rig • Alex Birdwell • Serge Weydert • James Rebesco • watanabe – west rig • Blythe Towal • Katie Muse • dickinson – northwest rig • Brian Quist • Aaron Ferber • Brian DeNardo • keys • get from Aimee • when you can work • not on Monday or Tuesday during the day • when we meet • grading • 3 lab reports, professional quality • wiki contributions • final project, possibly