Electronic Simulation of the Vertebrate Retina

Abstract

An electronic analog model of a section of the vertebrate retina has been constructed. It is structured in 5 layers of cells corresponding to the structure of the natural retina, whereby the function and connections of the single cell models can be varied. While signal processing occurs in the first four layers by evaluating several timedependent slow potentials as positive or negative, impulse rate time functions are emitted from the ganglion cells at the retina output. Various neural networks as inputs for the 25 Ganglion cells can be realized by using various patchboard connections. Several examples for simulation results are presented which closely fit comparable neurophysiological findings.