1950c – NERISSA Artificial Nerve – W. Grey Walter (British)

NERISSA.- A Nerve Excitation, Inhibition and Synaptic Analogue. This demonstrates particularly the relationship between the various parameters of nervous action such as finite propagation rate, excitation threshold, all-or-none conduction, strength-duration curves of excitability, refractory periods, Wedensky synaptic facilitation and inhibition, inhibitory escape and rebound, transmission of information by pulse interval modulation, and anomalies of " …

W. Grey Walter’s Tortoises – Self-recognition and Narcissism

Self-recognition and the Mirror Dance [Image source: An Imitation of Life,  Scientific American, May 1950, p42-45.] 7 . Self-recognition. The machines are fitted with a small flash-lamp bulb in the head which is turned off automatically whenever the photo-cell receives an adequate light signal. When a mirror or white surface is encountered the reflected light …

W. Grey Walter and his Tortoises

The published posts for W. Grey Walter and his Tortoises.    ELMER – a new species of animal – M. speculatrix   ELSIE – M. speculatrix  ELSIE – upgraded  CORA – the tortoise – M. docilis    Grey Walter’s Tortoises – the video clips   Time-Lapse Photographs of ELMER with ELSIE  W. Grey Walter and the Festival of …

M. speculatrix – Scanning: It makes all the difference

scanning – a form of behavior (sniffing, looking, listening, palpating) by which a sensory stimulus is sought or expected, and which is guided by an expectancy of input instead of a future internal state (goal). The search must be broad in the sense of looking everywhere, but narrow in the sense of being specific as …

W. Grey Walter Tortoises – Picture Gallery #2

Some more photos of W. Grey Walter and his Tortoises. BNI archives, courtesy of Owen Holland. BNI archives, courtesy of Owen Holland. BNI archives, courtesy of Owen Holland BNI archives, courtesy of Owen Holland BNI archives, courtesy of Owen Holland. BNI archives, courtesy of Owen Holland BNI archives, courtesy of Owen Holland BNI archives, courtesy …