SNEAALAS FALL MEMBERSHIP MEETING

When: Thursday, September 20, 2018

Time: 11:30-4pm

UPDATE:

** Picnic style Lunch will be provided from 11:30 to 12:15**

Where: Pfizer Inc, Eastern Point Rd, Groton, CT

Registration Deadline: 9/17/2018

Price: Members: FREE, Non-members: $20

Speaker: Carlos Vargas-Irwin- "Movement decoded: exploring neural control of the primate upper limb"

   
Even simple movements of the arm and hand require the coordination of
more than 30 individual muscles. Studying how the brain efficiently
controls this large number of degrees of freedom not only provides
valuable insight into biological information processing, but can also
aid in the development of the next generation of brain-controlled
prosthetic devices. In the Donoghue Lab we combine two key
technologies to study the motor system: chronically implanted
mircoelectrode arrays, which allow us to monitor ensembles of more
than 100 individual neurons, and Hollywood-style motion capture using
reflective markers, yielding the precise position of the arm and hand
with sub-millimiter accuracy. Using mathematical models we can link
neural activity  to movement information, decoding the electrical
'language' the brain uses to control complex upper limb motion. Our
basic science work with primates let to the BrainGate clinical trials,
which have allowed paralyzed patients to successfully control robotic
limbs using only their thoughts

Speaker: Ricardo Fernandes- " The Macaques: Natural ecology and behavior : Important tool for captive management"

Primates are behaviorally complex animals. Their diverse behavioral repertoires arise from a long history of evolutionary pressures. A better understanding of this naturalistic behavior provides caretakers of captive primates with the necessary framework for implementing effective behavioral management and enrichment decisions. “The big challenge for any zoo vet is to distinguish the normal from the abnormal” (Spelman, L.H. & Mashima, T.Y., 2009). This statement holds true for anyone in the position of caring for animals. Wild animals can often make this difficult because changes from the normal repertoire can be incredibly subtle. When providing care for wild species it becomes imperative to pay very close attention, not only to their behavior, but also be able to effectively interpret it in order to decide on future practices.