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Spikerbox Experiments

STEM TECH 5th Hr

Jason Walker Tatiyana Harris David Baldwin Colin Hooker

Getting Started With the Spikerbox


To start of the marathon of experiments with our spikerbox. We removed a leg from our roach through a small surgery. We then pinned it to the cork board on the spikerbox and observed the spikes with an app on the ipad.

Microstimulation of Neurons and Muscles


Song title Boom boom pow by black eyed peas Beetovens 5th When i was your man by bruno mars Tocatta and feud in D minor 25% volume 50% volume + + FULL VOLUME + + -

(+ means evoked movement, - means no movement) Observations: During the experiment, we observed that the roach leg tended to move with the bass beat and also that the louder the volume of the music more movement was evoked. However, we found that the amount of movement evoked really depended on a bass beat and longer soundwaves. Summary:In conclusion, the stimulation of the neurons and muscles of the roach leg depended on whether or not the music contained a heavy bass beat. It was also determined that hip hop music or music with low instruments or bass drums evoked more

movement, while soft music with no beat resulted in little stimulation of the nerves.

Reaction Time
Subject 1 Visual 14cm, .17 sec 18cm, .2 sec 12cm, .16 sec Average Subject 2 14.3 cm, .17 sec 17cm, .19 sec 11cm, .15 sec 16cm, .18 sec Average 14.7 cm,.17 sec Auditory 21cm, .21 sec 5cm, .1 sec 14cm, .17 sec 13.3 cm, .16 sec 29cm, .24 sec 28cm, .24 sec 23cm, .21 sec 26.7 cm,.23 sec Tactile 11cm, .15 se 8cm, .13 sec 16cm, .18 sec 11.7 cm, .15 sec 23.5cm,.22 sec 20.5cm,.2 sec 6.5cm, .11 16.8 cm..18 sec

Observation:

During the experiment, we observed that auditory and tactile stimuli resulted in the fastest reaction times for subject 1. On the other hand, we noticed that subject 2 had faster reaction times when visual and tactile stimuli were involved. Also noticeable was the fact that sometimes both subjects reactions seemed to fail during the auditory

trial, which resulted in the ruler slipping through their hand. Questions 1. Touch and audio stimuli most likely have a faster reaction time on average because the brain can decode the message quickly if nerve cells are activated directly by touch or alert nervous cells recognize sound. Visual stimuli probably have a slower reaction time because it takes the brain longer to comprehend what is being seen. 2. The results for subject 1 confirm that touch and audio have faster reaction time on average, however subject 2 refutes that idea with results confirming that visual and audio stimuli generated a faster reaction time. 3. We feel that a man and woman would probably have different reaction times. The woman would most likely have faster reaction times because women are usually more alert, as they cook and care for children. The same could be said for an athletic and sedentary person. The person more sedentary would have slower reaction times because they are used to a relaxed life still and are less apt to act on their feet. 4. I think it would be more acceptable to average more than two people. The problem with only averaging two sets of data is that you are only analyzing two results and you do not have enough information to make a sound argument. It would be scientifically beneficial if their were more trials to examine and compare. 5. It would be extremely hard to test the tactile reaction in the second experiment because during the second experiment the individual must hold both

rulers, making it extraordinarily difficult to touch the subjects shoulder at the same time. Even if you were to have another individual touch the subjects shoulder while you held the rulers, the timing would likely be off, giving incorrect data. If we were to redesign the experiment to test the tactile reaction: We would have the individual dropping the rulers stand behind the subject and when ready to drop place their elbow on the subjects back then remove it quickly. The contact of the elbow to the subjects back would involve touch stimuli and allow for the observance of the subjects reaction time. 6. There is a large difference between dominant and nondominant hands. The nondominant hand had a slower reaction time on average. We believe this results from the fact that there is less usage of the hand, thus it is ill prepared to respond to stimuli, unlike the dominant hand that is used frequently. 7. The average time for the lower limit of our patellar reflex is approximately 2ms as the neurotransmitters only have to cross to synapses. It is probable that the average time for a giraffe patellar reflex is extremely close to ours. Summary By completing this experiment, we learned that the type of stimuli and which hand is responding to the stimuli have a large effect on the reaction time. The data confirms that audio and touch stimuli generate faster reaction times if coordinated with the dominant hand. It was also found that our neurons interact with our muscles and can cause them to contract or relax.

Additionally the types of activities that an individual performs (athletic, sedentary, etc.) also affect the reaction times.

Experiment: Rate-Coding
First, we attached the leg on the SpikerBox and we hooked up the IPad. When we blew on the leg lightly we, heard a more intense popping sound. The next step though, when we had to blow on the leg vigorously the popping sound was very intense compared to the leg with no breathing on it. Summary: In conclusion, when you breath on a cockroaches leg with various degrees of intensity the more the neurons fire to tell the brain to run away, therefore, creating the popping sound in which we hear.

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