Computer/Electrical Engineering

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Specific Aims: The purpose of the C/EE Core is to develop computer programs that control experimental equipment and analyze the data from the experiments of the P30 Core Center Vestibular Researchers and Molecular Biologists. The C/EE Core will also develop new analysis methodologies and design and construct new electronic equipment that makes collaborative and translational experiments possible. The Core is also responsible for updating computer software and providing a stable network. We propose two Specific Aims to meet the goals of the research: Specific Aim 1: Develop computer software and electronic hardware that will promote experiments across the Core Center, making effective use of cutting edge methodologies. These principles will be applied to the following projects (Primary collaborators listed for each set of tasks): A. Monkey Experiments (Yakushin/Raphan/Cohen): 1. Develop and install new positional controllers on the rotators using incremental recorders that have no dead zones. 2. Design control electronics for measuring the cervico-ocular reflex (COR) in monkeys. 3. Design and build (with the ME Core) new micromanipulators that can be used in adaptation experiments and for freely moving monkeys. 4. Modify the training system, previously developed for monkeys in convergence experiments, so that animals will watch a fixed point in space while they walk on a linear treadmill. 5. Develop a multiple channel video imaging system so that top, back and side images of the monkey can be viewed with the data while animals walk on linear or circular treadmills. This will also be used in human locomotion experiments. 6. Modify the eye movement recording system for monkey locomotion, which now records only one eye, to be binocular so the point of fixation in space can be determined. 7. Utilize the Kunin/Raphan algorithms developed for humans and for head-fixed monkeys on a linear sled to determine the binocular fixation point of the eyes in space during monkey locomotion (This will also be applied to all studies of human locomotion). B. Mouse Physiological, Neuroanatomic and Molecular Biological Studies (Yakushin/ Holstein/ Sealfon/Margolskee/Max/Bedrich/Cohen/Sclafani/Raphan): 1. Update the eye movement recording system for the mouse on the Cosmos rotator from Labview to Matlab to stabilize the frame rate and allow it to be modified. 2. Update the camera frame rates from 30 to 120 Hz. 3. Develop a multi-channel video imaging capability to store binocular eye images in conjunction with the horizontal, torsional and vertical eye position data that are transformed from the video images. 4. Generate analysis techniques for establishing eye movements relative to head coordinates of the mouse. 5. Generate apparatus for heart rate and blood pressure measurements in the rat to determine the impact of the vestibule-sympathetic reflex during changes in head position relative to gravity. 6. Utilize software and hardware developed for humans to stimulate the vestibular nerves of rats and activate the vestibulo-sympathetic reflex. C. Molecular Biology Model Implementation (Margolskee/Max/Mossinger/Raphan): Design and implement multiprocessor workstations to facilitate individual use of computers in molecular biological modeling. Update the molecular modeling software so that open source systems such as Visual Molecular Dynamics (VMD) can be utilized under Linux. This would make analysis of molecular structure more accessible to individual investigators. D. Human Motion Sickness and Vestibulo-Autonomic Studies (Dai/Cohen/Kaufmann/Raphan/ Straumann): 1. Convert the data system of the University of Zurich (for Dr. Straumann, who is collaborating on the motion sickness project), into a format compatible with the VMF data analysis system used at Mount Sinai. 2. Implement the video-based binocular recording technique developed for the human locomotion project in the OVAR rotator. 3. Upgrade the controller on the circular treadmill so that it can be used to adapt the vertical aVOR time constant to determine if it reduces motion sickness susceptibility. 4. Develop a miniature device that will be placed on the rotating chair to record muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) from the peroneal nerve during OVAR; also develop a portable stimulator to map the trajectory of the peroneal nerve to determine the point of insertion of the microelectrodes; both devices must be small, portable and battery powered. 5. With the ME Core, build a new 3-D optokinetic controller and stimulator for the OVAR enclosure with new gears and motors. 6. Build a computer-controlled device to measure the subjective visual vertical when stationary and during OVAR. 7. Work with the ME Core to establish humidity and temperature control in the OVAR enclosure. E. Human Locomotion Studies (Raphan/Cohen/Cho/Smouha/Olanow): 1. With the ME Core, devise a controller to lift the back of the linear treadmill to test subjects for downhill walking. 2. Build a video system that records the top, side and back while walking; embed the video into the data files. 3. Modify the control circuits of the linear and circular treadmills to be computer controlled. 4. Devise a control mechanism to present visual laser targets in random order for studies of head movement control in normals and patients with dystonia. Specific Aim 2: Do software and hardware maintenance. Provide support services that will maintain and upgrade existing hardware and software and work to establish links between the new members of the Research Base and the extant Core Members. Assist in building and interfacing the hardware developed in Specific Aim 1 and maintain network connections across the Core both at Brooklyn College and Mount Sinai. Also install and maintain new operating systems and applications software to keep the laboratories at the cutting edge of technological development and troubleshoot problems as they arise.