NCS-FR: Insect-based brain-machine interfaces and robots for understanding odor-driven navigation

NCS-FR：基于昆虫的脑机接口和机器人，用于理解气味驱动的导航

• 批准号: 2319060
• 负责人: Baranidharan Raman
• 金额: $ 428.81万
• 依托单位: Washington University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2023-09-15 至 2027-08-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2319060&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: NCS; FR; Insect; based; brain

Insects have relatively simple neural systems compared to humans and other mammals, and yet they possess a richness in behavioral responses and can operate under extreme energy constraints. The goal of this work is to examine how odor trails are followed by walking and flying insects and how those insights can be leveraged to develop novel biorobotic platforms. Studying insects, therefore, could inspire the development of the next generation of computational algorithms, hardware, and robots that have similar capabilities. To achieve this goal, a repertoire of tools will be developed and used to realize biorobots. In parallel, the biological algorithms for exploration and navigation will be translated into computational and hardware approaches inspired by the brain (i.e., neuromorphic algorithms and hardware). This interdisciplinary research allows for active integration of research and education to facilitate the creation of a new generation of students able to fluidly traverse science and engineering. Aspects of the research proposed will also be incorporated into the upper-level undergraduate and graduate classes taught by the team of researchers at their respective institutions. Components of this work will be shared with the general public through outreach programs such as the annual St. Louis Area “Brain Bee” competition, the annual SciFest in collaboration with the St. Louis Science Center, Science on the TAP, Women in STEM Day, Research Experience for Teachers (RET) and Young Scholar (YS) programs at various institutions, public lectures at St. Louis Zoo and other similar events.The key goal of this project is to develop a comprehensive neuroengineering approach involving the development of novel engineering materials and technologies to monitor neural and locomotory responses in behaving insects, and then replicating these capabilities in bio-hybrid and mobile robotic systems to identify the key components/principles. This entails: (i) developing novel testbeds for studying odor-driven navigational behaviors, (ii) innovation in the design of neural electrode materials and arrays, (iii) development of low-weight neural recording instrumentation (i.e., backpacks) to record in freely moving smaller animals, (iv) creation of tools for perturbing the behavior and/or neural activity, and (v) integration with computational and robotic approaches to develop a minimalistic model of observed behavior. This work will generate a toolkit that encompasses novel electrode arrays for neural recordings, hydrogels for effective neural-electrode interfaces, neuromorphic hardware and algorithms, autonomous miniaturized robots for chemical sensing, and finally genetically engineering tools for a non-model organism. Beyond impact in their respective disciplines, these tools may allow for the usage of insects’ sensory apparatus and processing capabilities for addressing parallel sensing problems in biomedicine and homeland security.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

与人类和其他哺乳动物相比，昆虫的神经系统相对简单，但它们具有丰富的行为反应，并且可以在极端的能量限制下运作。这项工作的目标是研究步行和飞行的昆虫如何追踪气味轨迹。因此，这些见解可用于开发新型生物机器人平台，从而可以激发具有类似功能的下一代计算算法、硬件和机器人的开发。与此同时，用于探索和导航的生物算法将被转化为受大脑启发的计算和硬件方法（即神经形态和硬件），这种跨学科研究允许研究算法和教育的积极整合，以促进培养能够流畅地穿越科学和工程的新一代学生。这项工作的组成部分也将纳入由各自机构的研究人员团队教授的高年级本科生和研究生课程中。分享给通过推广计划向公众开放，例如一年一度的圣路易斯地区“Brain Bee”竞赛、与圣路易斯科学中心合作举办的年度科学节、TAP 科学、STEM 女性日、教师研究体验 (RET)各种机构的青年学者（YS）项目、圣路易斯动物园的公开讲座和其他类似活动。该项目的主要目标是开发一种全面的神经工程方法，涉及开发新型工程材料和技术来监测神经和运动行为反应昆虫，然后在生物混合和移动机器人系统中复制这些功能，以确定关键组件/原理，这需要：（i）开发用于研究气味驱动的导航行为的新型测试平台，（ii）神经电极设计的创新。材料和阵列，（iii）开发轻量神经记录仪器（即背包）以记录自由移动的小型动物，（iv）创建扰乱行为和/或神经活动的工具，以及（v）与计算和机器人方法相结合，开发观察行为的简约模型，这项工作将生成一个工具包，其中包括用于神经记录的新型电极阵列、用于有效神经电极接口的水凝胶、神经形态硬件和算法、用于化学传感的自主小型机器人。最后是用于非模型生物的基因工程工具，除了对各自学科的影响之外，这些工具还可以利用昆虫的感觉器官和处理能力来解决生物医学和国土安全中的并行传感问题。授予 NSF 的法定使命，并通过评估反映使用基金会的智力优点和更广泛的影响审查标准，被认为值得支持。