Simulating the motion of a mechanical arm driven by neural circuit

Abstract

A simple electromechanical model is constructed in this work to investigate the dynamical behavior of a mechanical arm driven by a light-sensitive neural circuit, simulating the operation of a micromechanical device implanted in the brain under neuronal operation. The physical equation describing the relationship between neural firing and mechanical motion is provided, the dimensionless model is obtained using the scale transformation, and the Hamilton energy of the electromechanical system is calculated based on Helmholtz theorem. It is found that the variation of photocurrent, magnetic field and damping coefficient causes the neuron and mechanical arm to interact with each other to generate a variety of oscillations when the phototube is used as a voltage/current source. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that the conversion of field energy and mechanical energy is another effective method for estimating and controlling the oscillation modes of the electromechanical model. The results explain how a micromassager connected to a neuron processes information from both environment and itself, and provide an insight for the design of implantable neurostimulators to restore brain or muscle function.