Method and apparatus for guiding movement of a freely roaming animal through brain stimulation

• US 20030199944A1
• Filed: 02/10/2003
• Published: 10/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Research Foundation for The State University of New York (State University of New York)
• Original Assignee: The Research Foundation for The State University of New York (State University of New York)
• Inventors: Talwar, Sanjiv K., Chapin, John K., Hawley, Emerson S., Xu, Shaohua
• Granted Patent: US 7,970,476 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/48
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/031 Cages for laboratory animals; Cages for measuring metabolism of animals
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 15/021 Electronic training devices specially adapted for dogs or cats
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0529 Electrodes for brain stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36017 with leads or electrodes penetrating the skin
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/061 using biological neurons, e.g. biological neurons connected to an integrated circuit

Abstract

Movement of a freely roaming animal (190), such as a rat, is guided using electric stimulation of the animal'"'"'s brain. Cues are provided to the animal to move forward by stimulating a reward center of the brain. Cues are provided to the animal to change its direction by stimulating portions of the animal'"'"'s brain that control right and left movements, such as a cortical representation of whiskers of the animal. Multi-channel, remotely controlled equipment (140, 145, 150, 350) may be carried by the animal to enable independent energizing of electrodes attached to different regions of the animal'"'"'s brain. A transmitter carried by the animal may report back data to allow monitoring. A component may be carried by the animal for carrying out a mission, such as for search and rescue or surveillance. Groups of animals may be controlled in real-time by coordinating their movements and tracking their locations.

Claims

1. A method for guiding movement of a freely roaming animal, comprising:

providing cues to the animal to move forward by stimulating a reward center of the animal'"'"'s brain; and

providing cues to the animal to change its direction of movement by stimulating portions of the animal'"'"'s brain which control left and right movements.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the portions of the animal'"'"'s brain which control left and right movements comprise cortical representations of left or right whiskers of the animal.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the cortical representation comprises somatosensory cortices of the animal'"'"'s brain.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the reward center comprises at least one of a median forebrain bundle and a ventral tegmental area of the animal'"'"'s brain.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the reward center and portions of the animal'"'"'s brain which control left and right movements are stimulated by energizing electrodes implanted in the animal'"'"'s brain.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the reward center and portions of the animal'"'"'s brain which control left and right movements are stimulated using biphasic stimulus pulses.

7. An apparatus for guiding movement of a freely roaming animal, comprising:

electrodes implanted in a reward center of the animal'"'"'s brain, and in portions of the animal'"'"'s brain which control left and right movements; and

means for energizing the electrodes to provide cues to the animal to move forward by stimulating the reward center, and to provide cues to the animal to change its direction of movement by stimulating the portions of the animal'"'"'s brain which control left and right movements.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein:

the energizing means are adapted to be carried by the animal.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein:

the energizing means are provided, at least in part, in a backpack that is adapted to be carried by the animal.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

a remotely controlled receiver adapted to be carried by the animal for receiving signals for controlling the energizing means.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein:

the remotely controlled receiver is responsive to control signals from a transmitter.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

a component adapted to be carried by the animal for carrying out a mission.

13. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

a transmitter adapted to be carried by the animal for transmitting data.

14. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein:

the portions of the animal'"'"'s brain which control left and right movements comprise cortical representations of left and right whiskers of the animal.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein:

the cortical representation comprises somatosensory cortices of the animal'"'"'s brain.

16. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein:

the reward center comprises at least one of a median forebrain bundle and a ventral tegmental area of the animal'"'"'s brain.

17. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein:

the reward center and the portions of the animal'"'"'s brain which control left and right movements are stimulated using biphasic stimulus pulses.

18. A method for guiding movement of a plurality of respective freely roaming animals, comprising:

providing cues to each respective animal to move forward by stimulating a reward center of the respective animal'"'"'s brain; and

providing cues to each respective animal to change its direction of movement by stimulating portions of each respective animal'"'"'s brain which control left and right movements of the respective animal.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein:

the cues are provided to the animals to coordinate their movements.

20. An apparatus for guiding movement of a freely roaming animal, comprising:

a remotely controlled receiver adapted to be carried by the animal; and

energizing means responsive to the receiver for energizing electrodes implanted in different sites in the animal'"'"'s brain to provide cues to the animal to move forward and to change its direction of movement.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein:

the receiver and energizing means enable independent control of pairs of the electrodes.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein:

the receiver receives a multi-signal, wherein at least two of the channels of the signal enable independent control of at least two associated pairs of the electrodes.

23. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein:

the sites in which the electrodes are implanted include a reward center and a cortical representation of whiskers of the animal'"'"'s brain.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein:

the reward center and cortical representation of whiskers are stimulated using biphasic stimulus pulses.

25. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein:

the energizing means comprises a microprocessor.