Portable ultrasonic stimulus and neural recording workstation

本提案所要求的设备将使我能够利用最新的声音合成软件和小型化的高采样率采集硬件来同时广播声音并从神经学上记录昆虫的听觉反应。我的实验室研究昆虫耳朵的听觉神经生理学和感觉生态学，主要是飞蛾和蚱蜢对食虫蝙蝠的回声定位呼叫。蝙蝠发出惊人的高频声音多样性，并以准确的方式再现这些声音，这也允许我操纵特定的声学变量，现在可以使用我正在开发的定制MATLAB应用程序。录音公司Avisoft生产高频麦克风和扬声器，这将使我能够重现在世界热带地区发现的不寻常的蝙蝠物种的声音，我以前在那里学习过，或者计划将来在那里学习。测试飞蛾耳朵对这些复杂声音的反应，将允许实地考察发现这些蝙蝠的地区（例如，南非、澳大利亚、南美）。Avisoft的数字数据采集系统还可以用来记录野生蝙蝠在自然栖息地的回声定位呼叫，以及倾听它们的昆虫的听觉神经活动。现在可以使用一个现场兼容的工作站，通过USB连接电池供电，并且完全便携式。

The equipment requested in this proposal will enable me to make use of recent advances in sound synthesis software and miniaturized high sample rate acquisition hardware to simultaneously broadcast sounds and neurologically record the auditory responses of insects.  My laboratory investigates the auditory neurophysiology and sensory ecology of insect ears, primarily moths and grasshoppers to the echolocation calls of insectivorous bats.  Bats emit an astonishing diversity of high frequency sounds and reproducing these sounds in an accurate fashion that also allows me to manipulate particular acoustic variables is now possible using a customized MATLAB application that I am in the process of developing.  The sound recording company Avisoft manufactures high frequency microphones and speakers that will enable me to reproduce the sounds of unusual bat species found in tropical regions of the world where I have either previously studied or am planning to study in the future.  Testing moth ears against these complex sounds will allow field trips to the areas where these bats are found (e.g., South Africa, Australia, South America).  Avisoft's digital data acquisition system can also be used to record the echolocation calls of wild bats in their natural habitats as well as the auditory neural activity of the insects that listen for them.  This will now be possible using a field-compatible workstation that is battery operated via USB connections and fully portable.