title: A novel turning behavior control method for rat-robot through the stimulation of ventral posteromedial thalamic nucleus.
abstract: The concept of a rat-robot was initially introduced in 2002, bringing to the field, a novel area of research using modern research into neuroscience and robotics. This paper brings to the table, a study into the method best used for navigation systems in a rat-robot. Current research is epitomized by the use of reward-based spatial navigation, combining the concept of an induced reward sensation as well as a 'virtual touch' sensation to control the movement of the rat-robot. However, such methods are plagued by limitations affecting the success rate as well as preparation procedures which may have varying effects on different rats, even under similar conditions. Hence, this paper studies the stimulation of two different portions of the brain to induce a turning motion within the rat, namely the Ventral Posteromedial (VPM) thalamic nucleus as well as the Barrel-Field (BF) cortex and demonstrates the preferential usage of VPM as the choice use of navigational control in a rat-robot.
authors.affiliation: Qiushi Academy for Advanced Studies (QAAS), Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering of Education Ministry, Zhejiang University, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Cardio-Cerebral Vascular Detection Technology and Medicinal Effectiveness Appraisal, China. Electronic address: xukd@zju.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Kedi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Qiushi Academy for Advanced Studies (QAAS), Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering of Education Ministry, Zhejiang University, China.
authors.forename: Jiacheng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Qiushi Academy for Advanced Studies (QAAS), Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering of Education Ministry, Zhejiang University, China.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Qiushi Academy for Advanced Studies (QAAS), Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China; Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Ji Chao Tristan
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Qiushi Academy for Advanced Studies (QAAS), Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering of Education Ministry, Zhejiang University, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Cardio-Cerebral Vascular Detection Technology and Medicinal Effectiveness Appraisal, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoxiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zheng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D058542:Implantable Neurostimulators; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012371:Robotics; D020651:Ventral Thalamic Nuclei / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Rat-robot; Turning behavior control; Ventral posteromedial thalamic nucleus