Optogenetics in silicon: A neural processor for predicting optically active neural networks

Luo, Junwen; Nikolic, Konstantin; Evans, Benjamin D; Dong, Na; Sun, Xiaohan; Andras, Peter; Yakovlev, Alex; Degenaar, Patrick

Abstract

We present a reconfigurable neural processor for real-time simulation and prediction of opto-neural behaviour. We combined a detailed Hodgkin-Huxley CA3 neuron integrated with a four-state Channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) model into reconfigurable silicon hardware. Our architecture consists of a Field Programmable Gated Array (FPGA) with a custom-built computing data-path, a separate data management system and a memory approach based router. Advancements over previous work include the incorporation of short and long-term calcium and light-dependent ion channels in reconfigurable hardware. Also, the developed processor is computationally efficient, requiring only 0.03 ms processing time per sub-frame for a single neuron and 9.7 ms for a fully connected network of 500 neurons with a given FPGA frequency of 56.7 MHz. It can therefore be utilized for exploration of closed loop processing and tuning of biologically realistic optogenetic circuitry.

Citation

Luo, J., Nikolic, K., Evans, B. D., Dong, N., Sun, X., Andras, P., Yakovlev, A., & Degenaar, P. (2017). Optogenetics in silicon: A neural processor for predicting optically active neural networks. IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Circuits and Systems, 11(1), 15-27. https://doi.org/10.1109/TBCAS.2016.2571339

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Apr 27, 2016
• Online Publication Date: Aug 17, 2016
• Publication Date: 2017-02
• Deposit Date: Nov 2, 2021
• Publicly Available Date: Nov 2, 2021
• Journal: IEEE transactions on biomedical circuits and systems
• Print ISSN: 1932-4545
• Publisher: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 11
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 15-27
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/TBCAS.2016.2571339
• Keywords: ChR2, FPGA, Hodgkin–Huxley, neural processor, neuromorphic circuits, neuroprothesis, optogenetics
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/2808895