Rat navigation guided by remote control

1
Rat navigation guided by remote control

• J. Chapin, E. Hawley, K. Moxon, S. Talwar, S.
  Weiss, S. Xu
• Nature, 2 May 2002

2
Brain microstimulation

• New procedure to train laboratory animals based
  on microstimulation of the brain

• Depending on the site of brain stimulation, an
  electrical signal can act as a cue or a reward.

• Enables guiding of distant animals in a way
  similar to that used to control intelligent
  robots

3
Guided rat navigation

• Rat carries a backpack with a remote-controlled
  micro-stimulator.
• Virtual touch to whiskers initiates left or
  right-turns.
• MFB stimulation initiates and motivates forward
  and further motion.

4
Applications

• Earthquake recovery
• Land mines detection
• Receive brain sensory activity remotely
• Neural protheses

5
Ethical debate

• Mind controlling
• The rat theoretically has a choice. If they want
  a reward, they go the right direction. It is not
  being driven by aversive shock. Chapin

• Had it been different with dogs or apes?