Creation of neural melodies in the frame of an international student project
Résumé
This work is a collaborative project between the University of Tokyo and the University of Bordeaux. Students are enrolled in their second year of a technical diploma in EEIC (Electrical Engineering and Industrial Computing) major, at IUT Bordeaux, University of Bordeaux, France. One from the University of Tokyo, Japan and two researchers from the University of Bordeaux were supervising the project. The purpose of this project is to create a melody from the electrical activity of in vitro neuronal culture. This music creation has a twofold objective of artistic performance and diagnostic use. The changes in music allow researchers to identify differences between healthy activity of neuronal cultures and activity of cultures affected by neurological disorders. From recordings of neuronal activities performed at the University of Tokyo, the students classified and sorted the different activities in groups of amplitudes associated to notes in the minor pentatonic scale. Taking place during the COVID19 pandemic, this online project shows the importance of international collaborations and their potential to stimulate student interest while developing new skills. These projects also offer the opportunity for students to pursue in an internship.