Flight Room

We have a large anechoic room that is used for free flight behavioral experiments. The room is equipped with two high speed digital cameras to record the flight path of the bats and a high speed DAC to record the vocalizations of the bat. The whole system is run off a common trigger so that the audio and video are automatically synchronized.

A project in progress aims to create an array of microphones in the room replacing the two microphones currently used so that the bats head aim and more detailed vocalization data can be obtained.

A small variable speed sound proofed motor is attached to the ceiling at the center of the room. This motor is used to create one or more targets moving smoothly in a circle. This is used to simulate capture of moving targets by bats.

Sonar Target Simulator

The lab has a sonar signal playback system which is used in psychophysical experiments. The picture shows Y-platform and the playback speaker (facing forward) and microphone (behind the speaker). A computer based DAC system is used to generate simulated targets at various ranges and also to record the responses of the bat.

Neurophysiology Booth

This booth is used for extracellular recordings from awake bats. There is a sterotaxic microelectrode drive system and the electrodes are interfaced to a TDT system for data acquisition. Sound stimuli are played through an array of speakers located in a semicircle in front of the bat. A custom designed program running off a PC is used to generate simulated bat vocalizations to be broadcast to the bat.

Anechoic Booths

There are two anechoic booths. One is used for psychoacoustic experiments and the other is used for neurophysiology.

Surgery Room

All surgery is carried out in this room as well as other procedures that require a clean environment and the use of a good microscope.

Colony Room

The animals are housed in a bat vivarium with light, temperature and humidity control.

HRTF Apparatus

A large calibrated frame with a mounted adjustable speaker is used for head-related transfer function (HRTF) experiments.

Database and Analysis System

All the experiments in the lab produce large volumes of data that have to be organized, analyzed and stored. For this a database system has been developed that enables quick retrieval of experimental data of a required type. Analysis is done using various in house programs written in MATLAB code to extract vocalization, to recreate flight paths and to integrate the information. Animation of collected data are also available.