Probing the electrical systems of living things is easier than ever thanks to readily available open source technologies and commodity electronics. In this Science Makers we’ll explore open hardware for electrophysiology and measurement of behaviour in plants and animals for both education and research. Then we'll control machines using our minds (or at least muscle movements).
Overview
Probing the electrical systems of living things is easier than ever thanks to readily available open source technologies and commodity electronics. In this Science Makers we’ll explore open hardware for electrophysiology and measurement of behaviour in plants and animals for both education and research. Then we'll control machines using our minds (or at least muscle movements).
Agenda
12:30 - Presentations and demos
• Pakpoom Subsoontorn on OpenPlant Fund projects developing open hardware for plant electrophysiology.
• Yi Zhou from OpenIOlabs on open hardware for neuroscience imaging.
+ more TBC
13:30 - Pizza (kindly sponsored by OpenIOlabs)
14:30 - Making!
WormStretch - experiments with conduction along nerves using earthworms.
This exercise will use:
- The Two Channel SpikerBox which we need to solder from the kit (build instructions PDF).
- Some earthworms freshly dug from the banks of the Cam.
- Potentially, a Faraday cage (build instructions).
EMG - measuring muscle activity
This exercise will use:
- The Muscle SpikerBox DIY kit, which we will solder together (build instructions PDF).
- A willing human subject.
ADVANCED activity - can we control a device using only our muscle movements?
This exercise will use:
- The Muscle SpikerShield DIY kit, which we will solder together (build instructions PDF).
- Arduino Uno
- Something to control (multiple options from the Grove starter kit and other components)
- Another willing human subject.
Further reading:
Portable conduction velocity experiments using earthworms for the college and high school neuroscience teaching laboratory (link)
The SpikerBox: A Low Cost, Open-Source BioAmplifier for Increasing Public Participation in Neuroscience Inquiry (link)