Abstract

One way to understand a neurobiological system is by building a functional model that replicates its behavior in real-time using similar constraints. Analog {\bf V}ery {\bf L}arge {\bf S}cale {\bf I}ntegrated (VLSI) electronic circuit technology provides such an enabling technology. We here describe a neuromorphic system that is part of a long-term effort to understand the primate oculomotor system. It requires both fast sensory processing as well as fast motor control to interact with the world. A one-dimensional hardware model of the primate eye has been built which simulates the physical dynamics of the biological system. It is driven by analog VLSI circuits mimicking the brainstem and cortical circuits that control eye movements. Our oculomotor plant demonstrates both smooth pursuit movements, driven by a retinal velocity error signal, as well as saccadic eye movements, controlled by retinal position error, and can reproduce behavioral, stimulation, lesion, and adaptation experiments performed on primates.

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