Rat-Robot Locomotion Control Based On Optogenetics

Brain-Machine Interface (BMI, or Brain-Computer Interface, BCI), develops a variety of regulations that deliver into the rat neural circuits and control the rat motion by micro-stimulation. Brain-Machine Interface usually comprises of two forms:Mind-Control BMI or Robot-Control BMI. Mind-Control BMI extracts the brain signals that were used to control devices from the outside world; Robot-Control BMI util izes devices to apply stimulation back toward the brain in order to modulate the brain activity. Currently, Robot-Control BMI has been widely applied in various researches such as neural function regulation and sensory information feedback as well as the motion control of animals, the so-called Bio-robotics.Bio-robotics has become a fast developing research field in biomedical engineering. Specifically for one part, the rat-robot system is widely implemented into the geography investigation for military use, the removal of roadblocks, the fire rescue, and so forth. However, two problems remain in the current model of bio-robot systems. First, it delivers no help to explore the neuronal mechanisms underlying the motion control of different animals. Second, the inaccuracy and s ide effects over the brain region still remain unresolved in the current bio-robot models.In this paper we employed the optogenetic technique that provides an alternative solution to the above problems remaining in the rat-robot system. The optogenetic technique comprises a set of genetic techniques combined with optical engineering that integrates the opsin genes into specific types of neurons to selectively probe neural circuits, and it has currently been introduced into a growing number of neuroscience researches and neural engineering systems such as the Brain-Machine Interfaces. In this paper we combined both technology of optogenetics and BMI and built a set of rat-robot locomotion control or regulation system based on optical stimulation. This study provided the animal robotic system with a strong specificity, high accuracy as wellas less side effect due to the functioning of optogenetic activation, and thus provided a noval approach for animal locomotion control based on optical regulations.The innovation features of this study are listed as follows:1. We applied the optogenetic technique into the research of bio-robot motion control. We established the optogenetic rat-robot models, applied optical stimulation, and induced the motion of rat-robot precisely. The optogenetic method well compensates the electrical stimulat ion method for rat-robot control, and brought up with an entire new solution to the current problems and limitations of bio-robot systems.2. We explored the mechanisms both underlying the reward learning behavior and underneath the defense behavior using the optogenetic tools. Furthermore, we explored the nature of the neurons under optogenetic activation and proved that part of the dopaminergic neurons and the glutamatergic neurons participate in the optical motion control of the rat-robot system. The above research has shed light on the explanation and optimization of the rat-robot control for further studies.3. We designed an integrated multi-electrode array coupled with fiberoptics, which can achieve the rat in vivo synchronous optical stimulation and electrophysiological recording. The implant array device was fit for chronic implantation after craniotomy, and further enabled the complete bidirectional close-loop Brain-Machine Interface system.In total, this paper combined optogenetic technique and invasive BMI and researched on a novel approach for rat-robot locomotion control. Furthermore, we explored the nature of the neurons under optogenetic activation and revealed the neural mechanism underneath the optical modulation of the rat-robot system. This paper provided a complete set of optogenetic modulation system and an illuminating solution for the researches on neural engineering and bio-robotics in the field of biomedical engineering.