A Prototype Device for Isolating and Wirelessly Transmitting Neural Action Potentials

An electrophysiology research laboratory at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine in the Physiology/Pharmacology Department currently carries out memory research by recording neural signals from laboratory animals with a wire tethering the animal to nearby signal conditioning and recording equipment. A wireless neural signal recording system is desirable because it removes the cumbersome wires from the animal, allowing it to roam more freely. The result is an animal that is more able to behave as it would in its natural habitat, thus opening the possibility of testing procedures that are not possible with wired recording systems. While there are wireless neural recording systems in existence, this thesis presents a new approach to recording neural signals wirelessly. The firings of neurons in the hippocampus are manifested as action potentials or voltage "spikes" on the order of 100 to 400uV in magnitude. Though the information content of the neural signal is riding on these action potentials, the spikes comprise a small fraction of the complete neural signal. A unique feature of the neural signal transceiver presented in this thesis is its ability to digitally isolate and transmit the action potentials, leaving out the remaining, unimportant part of the neural signal. This approach to recording neural signals makes efficient use of the limited bandwidth available with portable short range wireless devices. This thesis will present the spike isolating neural transmitter, which was built using commercially available electronic components. Then, the proper function of assembly language code written for a PIC18F458 microcontroller will be demonstrated. Finally, a discussion of the performance of the neural signal transmitter will be provided.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Mechanical Engineering

Department dc:contributor.department

Mechanical Engineering

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

2003

Author dc:creator

• Slominski, Eric Christopher

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Wicks, Alfred L.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Reinholtz, Charles F.
• Hampson, Robert
• Saunders, William R.

• bluetooth
• microcontroller
• action potential
• electrophysiology
• instrumentation

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Dc Identifier Other

etd-12182003-170050

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/9652