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The Efficacy And Optimization Of Somatosensory Intracortical Microstimulation In Rats, Sean P. Mcdowell, Ryan S. Verner, Kevin J. Otto Dr.

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Demand exists for brain-machine interfaces that offer a wide range of sensory feedback along with volitional motor control to individuals with limited control of natural sensory or motor function. As these sensorimotor devices are developed, it is necessary to improve the interaction between the prostheses and higher-level cortical structures. Optimizing these somatosensory stimulation parameters will require the use of a high-throughput experimental design. To address this, one Sprague-Dawley rat was trained to respond to auditory stimuli during a conditioned-avoidance behavior task and then implanted with a penetrating microelectrode array in the part of the somatosensory cortex corresponding to the left …