Decoding Target Range from Sensori-motor Neuron Activities in Echolocating Bat Superior Colliculus

The mammalian superior colliculus (SC), a midbrain sensory motor nucleus located on the dorsal surface of the brain stem, is accountable for the control of goal directed orientation responses towards external sensory stimuli. The bat´s heavy reliance on sound processing is reflected in specializations of auditory and motor neural structures. In this work, chronic behavioral and neural recordings from insectivorous echolocation bat, Eptesicus Fuscus, are collected and analyzed. By applying principal components analysis technique to the recorded multi-units sensori-motor neuron activity, the auditory sensory signal is extracted. The cortical representation of spatiotemporal pattern by echolocation signals is generated for target range estimation. A computational sensory decoding model for bat-inspired real time feedback control and spatial navigation through complex environments is developed, which could provide valuable insight for bio-inspired control in robotics and applications in neuromorphic engineering.