Skip to main content
bioRxiv
  • Home
  • About
  • Submit
  • ALERTS / RSS
Advanced Search
New Results

Spikeling: a low-cost hardware implementation of a spiking neuron for neuroscience teaching and outreach.

View ORCID ProfileTom Baden, Ben James, View ORCID ProfileMaxime JY Zimmermann, Philipp Bartel, Dorieke M Grijseels, Leon Lagnado, Miguel Maravall
doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/327502
Tom Baden
University of Sussex
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • ORCID record for Tom Baden
  • For correspondence: tom@badenlab.org
Ben James
University of Sussex
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Maxime JY Zimmermann
University of Sussex
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • ORCID record for Maxime JY Zimmermann
Philipp Bartel
University of Sussex
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Dorieke M Grijseels
University of Sussex
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Leon Lagnado
University of Sussex
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Miguel Maravall
University of Sussex
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • Abstract
  • Info/History
  • Metrics
  • Supplementary material
  • Preview PDF
Loading

Abstract

Understanding of how neurons encode and compute information is fundamental to our study of the brain, but opportunities for hands-on experience with neurophysiological techniques on live neurons are scarce in science education. Here, we present Spikeling, an open source 25 GBP in silico implementation of a spiking neuron that mimics a wide range of neuronal behaviours for classroom education and public neuroscience outreach. Spikeling is based on an Arduino microcontroller running the computationally efficient Izhikevich model of a spiking neuron. The microcontroller is connected to input ports that simulate synaptic excitation or inhibition, dials controlling current injection and noise levels, a photodiode that makes Spikeling light-sensitive and an LED and speaker that allows spikes to be seen and heard. Output ports provide access to variables such as membrane potential for recording in experiments or digital signals that can be used to excite other connected Spikelings. These features allow for the intuitive exploration of the function of neurons and networks. We also report our experience of using Spikeling as a teaching tool for undergraduate and graduate neuroscience education in Nigeria and the UK.

Copyright 
The copyright holder for this preprint is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under a CC-BY 4.0 International license.
Back to top
PreviousNext
Posted May 21, 2018.
Download PDF

Supplementary Material

Email

Thank you for your interest in spreading the word about bioRxiv.

NOTE: Your email address is requested solely to identify you as the sender of this article.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
Spikeling: a low-cost hardware implementation of a spiking neuron for neuroscience teaching and outreach.
(Your Name) has forwarded a page to you from bioRxiv
(Your Name) thought you would like to see this page from the bioRxiv website.
Share
Spikeling: a low-cost hardware implementation of a spiking neuron for neuroscience teaching and outreach.
Tom Baden, Ben James, Maxime JY Zimmermann, Philipp Bartel, Dorieke M Grijseels, Leon Lagnado, Miguel Maravall
bioRxiv 327502; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/327502
Digg logo Reddit logo Twitter logo CiteULike logo Facebook logo Google logo Mendeley logo
Citation Tools
Spikeling: a low-cost hardware implementation of a spiking neuron for neuroscience teaching and outreach.
Tom Baden, Ben James, Maxime JY Zimmermann, Philipp Bartel, Dorieke M Grijseels, Leon Lagnado, Miguel Maravall
bioRxiv 327502; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/327502

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero
  • Tweet Widget
  • Facebook Like
  • Google Plus One

Subject Area

  • Scientific Communication and Education
Subject Areas
All Articles
  • Animal Behavior and Cognition (996)
  • Biochemistry (1485)
  • Bioengineering (938)
  • Bioinformatics (6803)
  • Biophysics (2414)
  • Cancer Biology (1782)
  • Cell Biology (2514)
  • Clinical Trials (106)
  • Developmental Biology (1683)
  • Ecology (2553)
  • Epidemiology (1488)
  • Evolutionary Biology (5003)
  • Genetics (3598)
  • Genomics (4614)
  • Immunology (1157)
  • Microbiology (4222)
  • Molecular Biology (1617)
  • Neuroscience (10744)
  • Paleontology (81)
  • Pathology (236)
  • Pharmacology and Toxicology (407)
  • Physiology (552)
  • Plant Biology (1445)
  • Scientific Communication and Education (410)
  • Synthetic Biology (542)
  • Systems Biology (1868)
  • Zoology (257)