Tag: rats

Backwards Instant Replay Helps Rats Learn

Rat

Neuroscientists from the Picower Institute for Learning and Memory at MIT have discovered that after completing a task, a rat’s brain will mentally replay recent events, but in reverse order. They believe this process plays a key role in learning and memory and may explain why taking frequent breaks when studying is more effective for …

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Memory Fragmentation: Your Thoughts are Scattered

LiveScience.com is reporting today that a new study by neuroscientists at the University of California, Irvine has confirmed the long held belief that different pieces of a single memory are stored in separate locations in the brain. This is the first time solid evidence has been collected verifying that what we recognize as a single …

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Neurons That Tune Out Background Noise

LiveScience.com is reporting that researchers from the University of Washington have discovered neurons in the brainstems of rats whose sole function is to identify new sounds while ignoring ongoing and predictable background noises. The scientists believe these specialized neurons are present in all vertebrates, including humans in whom they probably play a significant role in …

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The AMouse – A Robot with Whiskers

AMouse - A robot mouse with whiskers

As part of the Artificial Mouse (AMOUSE) Project, researchers from the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory at the University of Zurich have developed a robotic mouse, the AMouse, that navigates by means of an omnidirectional camera, several light sensors, and two active artificial whisker arrays. In nature, vibrissae, better known as whiskers, are important sensors for short-range …

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