Backyard Brains

Neuroscience for Everyone!

[backyardbrains]

controlling Super Mario Bros. on a real NES using Backyard Brains SpikerShields

[backyardbrains]

new prototype optogenetics setup

[backyardbrains]

[backyardbrains]

[backyardbrains]

Tina & Taco, our electric fish

[backyardbrains]

interns being taught techniques to get intercellular recordings and clearer extra cellular signals

[backyardbrains]

roboroach Apple watch edition

[backyardbrains]

Nick's differential recording setup really brings out the sexy curves of science

[backyardbrains]

fly as a circuit pt II: electric boogaloo

[backyardbrains]

Fly as a circuit element part 2

Completing a circuit via fruit fly. Turns out fruit flies aren’t a great conductor and have a resistance of about 3 megaohms.

But megaohms can’t stop science.

[backyardbrains]

[backyardbrains]

roach on the go - one of our interns testing out a prototype roach wheel for use in an experiment studying circadian rhythms

[backyardbrains]

context

[arduinos-afire]

Running a few experiments on myself before I introduce neuroscience to my students. Remote control roaches and hacking the human nervous system, ya know, standard middle school stuff for these young scientists. #roboroach #backyardbrains #hhi #arduino #neuroprosthetics #coding #stem by sdteaching https://instagram.com/p/2o7dlPj0n8/ You too can build a robot! https://jer21mil.storenvy.com/admin/collections/992205-arduino-uno

[strangebiology]

Where have all the mad scientists gone? It looks like they’ve been working on Roboroach, a device that allows you to control the movements of a cockroach via your phone.

The people behind Roboroach, Backyard Brains, write on their kickstarter that the roach is not harmed, although he undergoes surgery under anesthesia to place wires inside the antennae. Then the roach is fitted with a backpack that communicates with your mobile app. On your command, pulses are sent to the animal’s brain, which stimulates him into thinking that there is a wall on one side. To avoid the wall, the roach turns. 

The Roboroach is designed to intrigue novices as well as help experienced neurologists understand stimuli and learning. Though Backyard Brains writes that it is not a toy, but a learning device, for labs and classrooms, for learning and experimentation.

And what better way to get your kids interested in neuroscience than a real live cyborg?

[backyardbrains]

Backyard Brains welcomes the 2015 Summer Intern class! Today's training produced 5 out of 7 working RoboRoaches!

[backyardbrains]