The photoneuromime: An artificial visual neuron for dynamic testing of computer-controlled experiments

The photoneuromime is a simple electronic device that produces frequency-modulated pulses resembling neural spike trains in response to light modulation. It simulates the linear behavior of cat retinal ganglion X-cell receptive field centers and was designed for testing computer programs that track sensitivity to patterns generated on a raster-scan CRT. Besides providing a convenient means for testing computer programs and recording apparatus, which previously required the use of a live preparation, the neuromime is also a valuable teaching tool in sensory psychology and neuroscience.