Powell Marc P, Britz William R, Harper James S, Borton David A
School of Engineering at Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA.
Britz & Company, Wheatland, WY 82201, USA.
J Neurosci Methods. 2017 Aug 15;288:72-81. doi: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2017.06.013. Epub 2017 Jun 23.
Wireless neural recording technologies now provide untethered access to large populations of neurons in the nonhuman primate brain. Such technologies enable long-term, continuous interrogation of neural circuits and importantly open the door for chronic neurorehabilitation platforms. For example, by providing continuous consistent closed loop feedback from a brain machine interface, the nervous system can leverage plasticity to integrate more effectively into the system than would be possible in short experimental sessions. However, to fully realize this opportunity necessitates the development of experimental environments that do not hinder wireless data transmission. Traditional nonhuman primate metal cage construction, while durable and standardized around the world, prevents data transmission at the frequencies necessary for high-bandwidth data transfer.
To overcome this limitation, we have engineered and constructed a radio-frequency transparent home environment for nonhuman primates using primarily non-conductive materials.
Computational modeling and empirical testing were performed to demonstrate the behavior of transmitted signals passing through the enclosure. In addition, neural data were successfully recorded from a freely behaving nonhuman primate inside the housing system.
Our design outperforms standard metallic home cages by allowing radiation to transmit beyond its boundaries, without significant interference, while simultaneously maintaining the mechanical and operational integrity of existing commercial home cages.
Continuous access to neural signals in combination with other bio-potential and kinematic sensors will empower new insights into unrestrained behavior, aid the development of advanced neural prostheses, and enable neurorehabilitation strategies to be employed outside traditional environments.
无线神经记录技术如今能够在不束缚非人类灵长类动物大脑中大量神经元的情况下进行数据采集。此类技术可对神经回路进行长期、持续的研究，并且尤为重要的是，为慢性神经康复平台打开了大门。例如，通过脑机接口提供持续一致的闭环反馈，神经系统能够利用可塑性比在短期实验中更有效地融入该系统。然而，要充分利用这一机遇，就需要开发不会阻碍无线数据传输的实验环境。传统的非人类灵长类动物金属笼构造虽然耐用且在全球范围内具有标准化，但会阻止高带宽数据传输所需频率的数据传输。
为克服这一限制，我们主要使用非导电材料为非人类灵长类动物设计并构建了一个射频透明的家居环境。
进行了计算建模和实证测试，以证明传输信号穿过该围栏的行为。此外，还成功地从该居住系统内自由活动的非人类灵长类动物身上记录了神经数据。
我们的设计优于标准金属家居笼，它能使辐射在无显著干扰的情况下传输到其边界之外，同时保持现有商用家居笼的机械和操作完整性。
持续获取神经信号并结合其他生物电位和运动传感器，将有助于深入了解无约束行为，助力先进神经假体的开发，并使神经康复策略能够在传统环境之外得以应用。
