A sensory–neuromorphic interface capable of environmental perception, sensory coding, and biological stimuli
Lin Sun,
Yi Du,
Zichen Zhang,
Siru Qin,
Zixian Wang,
Yue Li,
Shangda Qu,
Zhifang Xu,
Yi Guo,
Wentao Xu
Affiliations
Lin Sun
Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Thin Film Devices and Technology of Tianjin Engineering Research Center of Thin Film Photoelectronic Technology of Ministry of Education, Smart Sensing Interdisciplinary Science Center, Institute of Photoelectronic Thin Film Devices and Technology, College of Electrical Information and Optical Engineering Nankai University Tianjin China
Yi Du
Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Thin Film Devices and Technology of Tianjin Engineering Research Center of Thin Film Photoelectronic Technology of Ministry of Education, Smart Sensing Interdisciplinary Science Center, Institute of Photoelectronic Thin Film Devices and Technology, College of Electrical Information and Optical Engineering Nankai University Tianjin China
Zichen Zhang
Research Center of Experimental Acupuncture Science Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Tianjin China
Siru Qin
Research Center of Experimental Acupuncture Science Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Tianjin China
Zixian Wang
Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Thin Film Devices and Technology of Tianjin Engineering Research Center of Thin Film Photoelectronic Technology of Ministry of Education, Smart Sensing Interdisciplinary Science Center, Institute of Photoelectronic Thin Film Devices and Technology, College of Electrical Information and Optical Engineering Nankai University Tianjin China
Yue Li
Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Thin Film Devices and Technology of Tianjin Engineering Research Center of Thin Film Photoelectronic Technology of Ministry of Education, Smart Sensing Interdisciplinary Science Center, Institute of Photoelectronic Thin Film Devices and Technology, College of Electrical Information and Optical Engineering Nankai University Tianjin China
Shangda Qu
Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Thin Film Devices and Technology of Tianjin Engineering Research Center of Thin Film Photoelectronic Technology of Ministry of Education, Smart Sensing Interdisciplinary Science Center, Institute of Photoelectronic Thin Film Devices and Technology, College of Electrical Information and Optical Engineering Nankai University Tianjin China
Zhifang Xu
Research Center of Experimental Acupuncture Science Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Tianjin China
Yi Guo
Research Center of Experimental Acupuncture Science Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Tianjin China
Wentao Xu
Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Thin Film Devices and Technology of Tianjin Engineering Research Center of Thin Film Photoelectronic Technology of Ministry of Education, Smart Sensing Interdisciplinary Science Center, Institute of Photoelectronic Thin Film Devices and Technology, College of Electrical Information and Optical Engineering Nankai University Tianjin China
Abstract The sensory–neuromorphic interface is key to the application of neuromorphic electronics. Artificial spiking neurons and artificial sensory nerves have been created, and a few studies showed a complete neuromorphic system through cointegration with synaptic electronics. However, artificial synaptic devices and systems often do not work in real environments, which limits their ability to provide realistic neural simulations and interface with biological nerves. We report a sensory–neuromorphic interface that uses a fiber synapse to emulate a biological afferent nerve. For the first time, a sensing–neuromorphic interface is connected to a living organism for peripheral nerve stimulation, allowing the organism to establish a connection with its surrounding environment. The interface converts perceived environmental information into analog electrical signals and then into frequency‐dependent pulse signals, which simplify the information interface between the sensor and the pulse‐data processing center. The frequency of the interface shows a sublinear dependence on strain amplitude at different stimulus intensities, and can deliver increased frequency spikes at potentially damaging stimulus intensities, similar to the response of biological afferent nerves. To verify the application of this interface, a system that monitors strain and provides an overstrain alarm was constructed based on this afferent neural circuit. The system has a response time of <2 ms, which is compatible with the response time in biological systems. The interface can be potentially extended to process signals from almost any type of sensors for other afferent senses, and these results demonstrate the potential for neuromorphic interfaces to be applied to bionic sensory interfaces.
