Willow

Ultra High Channel Count Neurophysiology

1024-channel data acquisition system

The brain is tremendously complex, and uncovering its secrets requires huge amounts of high-resolution data.

 

The Client

When MIT's Dr. Ed Boyden (2016 winner of the Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences) needed to create something that had never been done before, he turned to LeafLabs. Ed’s lab, the Synthetic Neurobiology Group (SNG), had developed new ultra-dense neural implants that could record a game-changing 1,000 neurons.

Development for the Willow program was supported by a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research grant from the National Institute of Mental Health, under Award Number R43MH101943. Phase II SBIR grant under Award Number 5R44MH114783.

The NIH funds transformative biomedical technologies to accelerate scientific research and clinical breakthroughs. This project was supported by the NIMH, whose mission includes advancing tools for neuroscience research—such as high-performance embedded systems for real-time data acquisition and experimental control.

The Challenge

The brain is tremendously complex, and uncovering its secrets requires huge amounts of high-resolution data. No adequate commercial systems existed to record from the probe’s 1,000 channels.

This program required true full stack product development, including FPGA Hardware Architecture, ASIC Design, GUI Development, Product Development, Experimentation, Data Visualization, Vivarium Engagement, and more.

 
 

Banner above shows detail of ultra dense recording sites (9x9 μm with a 11 μm pitch) on silicon probe

The Approach

Many aspects of neuroscience are data-starved because of technological bottlenecks. LeafLabs is overcoming this challenge by eliminating these bottlenecks at every stage of the pipeline.

Willow is the first product developed from the collaboration of LeafLabs and SNG: the 1024-channel data node is designed to be modular, one-tenth the cost per channel of existing systems, and scalable.

The data node contains an FPGA that processes 1024 channels of electrophysiological data by communicating concurrently with as many as 32 industry-standard neural amplifier chips. The raw, wide-band data is written directly to a storage drive by the FPGA, while simultaneously being forwarded to a computer for real-time feedback and monitoring by the user. 

 
Close-up of a 1020-channel silicon probe to be packaged onto a PCB breakout (completed version below)

Close-up of a 1024-channel silicon probe

Willow system showing probes, headstages, and data acquisition module 

Willow System; showing probes, headstages, and data acquisition module
 

Visualization of a 2 second capture that preserves the geometric layout of the recording sites on the probe (here four rows and two columns). The amplitude of neural activity varies across the recording sites and reveals the spatial localization of …

Visualization of a 2-second capture that preserves the geometric layout of the recording sites on the probe (here four rows and two columns). The amplitude of neural activity varies across the recording sites and reveals the spatial localization of the neuronal signal sources.

 
“Willow reduced per-channel cost by an order of magnitude compared to what had been commercially available.”
— Ed Boyden
 
Streaming 32 channels allows online visualization of neural data.

Streaming 32 channels allows online visualization of neural data.

 

Banner above shows data visualization from a 1020-channel in-vivo multielectrode array recording.

The Impact

The Synthetic Neurobiology Group was able to record high channel count experiments. SNG now uses the Willow system routinely to record high channel count experiments. Through this collaboration, LeafLabs has become a critical resource for Dr. Boyden and his research in developing new tools for neuroscience.

The Willow System has been involved in pilot studies with MIT, Brandeis, UCSF, Harvard, Columbia and Novartis.

 

LeafLabs can assist with experiment design, basic analysis, & data visualization.

To inquire about a pilot study, contact us at neuro@leaflabs.com

Brian Allen of the Synthetic Neurology Group conducting experiments with the Willow System

Brian Allen of the Synthetic Neurology Group conducting experiments with the Willow System

 

Publications & Info

Murray Carpenter. "Glut of data from mice brains tests MIT’s computing power". January 31, 2016: https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2016/01/31/glut-data-from-mice-brains-tests-mit-computing-power/Y3V3sKTUP65FDCJiEJPCPO/story.html#comments

Jörg Scholvin, et al. “Close-Packed Silicon Microelectrodes for Scalable Spatially Oversampled Neural Recording.” EEEI Xplore Digital Library, 24 February 2015: http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/articleDetails.jsp?arnumber=7047763 

Justin P. Kinney, et al. “A direct-to-drive neural data acquisition system.”Frontiers in Neural Circuits, Front. Neural Circuits, 01 September 2015: http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fncir.2015.00046/abstract

JP Kinney, J Bernstein, J Scholvin, C Moore-Kochlacs, N Kopell, E Boyden. In vivo experimental testing of scalable 3-d microfabricated electrode array neural recording in mammalian brain. Program No. 659.05. 2014 Neuroscience Meeting Planner. Washington, DC: Society for Neuroscience, 2014. Online.

C. Moore-Kochlacs, J Scholvin, JP Kinney, JG Bernstein, YG Yoon, SK Arfin, N Kopell, ES Boyden. Principles of high–fidelity, high–density 3–d neural recording. Program No. 873.03. 2013 Neuroscience Meeting Planner. San Diego, CA: Society for Neuroscience, 2013. Online.

C. Moore-Kochlacs, JP Kinney, JG Bernstein, SK Arfin, J Scholvin, N Kopell, ES Boyden. Spike sorting for spatially dense high channel count extracellular recordings. Program No. 208.19. 2012 Neuroscience Meeting Planner. New Orleans, LA: Society for Neuroscience, 2012. Online.

To learn more visit scalablephysiology.org maintained by the MIT Synthetic Neural Group.