TY - JOUR
T1 - A custom interface for the joint operation of Med Associates and Tucker-Davis Technologies hardware in a rodent behavioral model
AU - Chandra, Nikhil S.
AU - Birenbaum, Nathan K.
AU - Green, Leonard
AU - Ray, Wilson Z.
AU - MacEwan, Matthew R.
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors express their gratitude to Chris Walters, Mark Hanus, Miles Billard, and Dr. Victor Rush at Tucker-Davis Technologies for their assistance in the configuration and programming of the electrophysiological module. This work was supported by a Pilot Project Award from the Hope Center for Neurological Disorders at Washington University [grant number: 2017-WR]. The Hope Center played no role in study design, nor in data collection, analysis, or interpretation, nor in the writing of this report, nor in the decision to submit this report for publication.
Funding Information:
The authors express their gratitude to Chris Walters, Mark Hanus, Miles Billard, and Dr. Victor Rush at Tucker-Davis Technologies for their assistance in the configuration and programming of the electrophysiological module. This work was supported by a Pilot Project Award from the Hope Center for Neurological Disorders at Washington University [grant number: 2017-WR ]. The Hope Center played no role in study design, nor in data collection, analysis, or interpretation, nor in the writing of this report, nor in the decision to submit this report for publication.
Funding Information:
This project was supported by a Pilot Project Award from the Hope Center for Neurological Disorders at Washington University in St. Louis (#2017-WR). The Hope Center played no role in the study design, nor in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data, nor in the writing of this report, nor in the decision to submit the report for publication.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Elsevier B.V.
PY - 2022/4/1
Y1 - 2022/4/1
N2 - Background: Rodent behavioral models with an electrophysiological component may require the joint operation of hardware from Med Associates, Inc. (St. Albans, VT) and Tucker-Davis Technologies (TDT; Alachua, FL). Although these manufacturers do produce supplemental hardware for interfacing with each other, investing in such hardware may be untenable for research groups with limited funds who wish to use equipment already in their possession. New method: We designed a printed circuit board (PCB) in KiCad and had it fabricated by Advanced Circuits (Aurora, CO), with components sourced from Digi-Key (Thief River Falls, MN). The PCB provided 8 channels of bidirectional communication for the transmission of signals between Med Associates’ SG-716B SmartCtrl connection panel and TDT's RZ5D base station. This setup enabled the coordinated operation of programs running separately on each set of hardware. Results: The custom-built PCB facilitated the joint operation of Med Associates and TDT hardware in a go/no-go detection task involving rats with electrical implants in their sciatic nerves. Comparison with existing methods: Conventional methods for interfacing Med Associates and Tucker-Davis Technologies rely on the purchase of pre-built hardware whose costs can add up to thousands of dollars. The present method offers a viable alternative that is easily implemented and considerably less expensive (below $200). Conclusion: The present approach provides an inexpensive yet effective alternative to far more costly interfacing solutions offered by Med Associates and Tucker-Davis Technologies.
AB - Background: Rodent behavioral models with an electrophysiological component may require the joint operation of hardware from Med Associates, Inc. (St. Albans, VT) and Tucker-Davis Technologies (TDT; Alachua, FL). Although these manufacturers do produce supplemental hardware for interfacing with each other, investing in such hardware may be untenable for research groups with limited funds who wish to use equipment already in their possession. New method: We designed a printed circuit board (PCB) in KiCad and had it fabricated by Advanced Circuits (Aurora, CO), with components sourced from Digi-Key (Thief River Falls, MN). The PCB provided 8 channels of bidirectional communication for the transmission of signals between Med Associates’ SG-716B SmartCtrl connection panel and TDT's RZ5D base station. This setup enabled the coordinated operation of programs running separately on each set of hardware. Results: The custom-built PCB facilitated the joint operation of Med Associates and TDT hardware in a go/no-go detection task involving rats with electrical implants in their sciatic nerves. Comparison with existing methods: Conventional methods for interfacing Med Associates and Tucker-Davis Technologies rely on the purchase of pre-built hardware whose costs can add up to thousands of dollars. The present method offers a viable alternative that is easily implemented and considerably less expensive (below $200). Conclusion: The present approach provides an inexpensive yet effective alternative to far more costly interfacing solutions offered by Med Associates and Tucker-Davis Technologies.
KW - Macro-sieve electrode
KW - Med associates
KW - Neuroprosthetics
KW - Rat behavior
KW - Tucker-Davis technologies
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85124816104&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2022.109528
DO - 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2022.109528
M3 - Article
C2 - 35182605
AN - SCOPUS:85124816104
SN - 0165-0270
VL - 371
JO - Journal of Neuroscience Methods
JF - Journal of Neuroscience Methods
M1 - 109528
ER -