Designing real time interaction between machine and birds

We study behavioral and neural mechanisms of vocal learning. Songbirds provide a tractable model system to study vocal learning and communication. To study the behavioral and neural mechanisms of vocal learning in songbirds, we are working on systems that record the bird’s song and provide real time feedback to the bird using visual stimuli depending on the bird’s song or other types of behavior. Additionally, instead of using visual stimuli we also use this system to manipulate brain activity to study the neural underpinning of vocal learning.

Available Project:
We offer semester or MSc projects that aim to implement these real time interactions in C on a microcontroller system (for example on a Teensy board). Prerequisite for the project is prior knowledge in programming and basic knowledge of electronics.