Run a 250-student neuroscience lecture demonstration
Plan the kits, the room and the volunteers for one live lecture, then forward the plan to your department.
This live neuron demo lets students hear a real neuron fire from a leg, then watch a volunteer's own muscles drive a robotic claw. Build the demo one kit at a time: each step shows its price and the running total.
For Big lectures & real signals
A live demo turns a slide into a signal. Students hear and see one neuron fire on the projector, then a volunteer's muscle and heart signals appear on the same screen.
The finale is the Human-Human Interface: one student's brain signals command another student's muscles. Your room sees the whole chain, from a single spike to a movement.
Build your kit ladder
Start with step 1 and add a kit when the room is ready. Each step shows its price and the running total.
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Step 1
Neuron SpikerBox
The classic cockroach leg neuron demo. Students hear and see a single neuron fire from a cockroach or earthworm leg, live on the projector.
Setup Set up the prepared leg with its electrodes, connect the SpikerBox to a laptop, and project SpikeRecorder.
$249.99
- Running total
- $249.99
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Step 2
Human SpikerBox
A volunteer's own signals: muscle (EMG) and heart (ECG) on the same screen, heard through the speaker.
Setup Press two sticky pads onto the volunteer's forearm to start with muscle signals, then move to the heart.
$299.99
- Running total
- $549.98
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Step 3
The Claw
A volunteer's muscle signals open and close a robotic gripper, the basics of a neuroprosthetic.
Setup Place the electrodes on the volunteer's forearm. The Claw needs no computer or phone.
$149.99
- Running total
- $699.97
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Step 4
Human-Human Interface
The killer experiment: one student's brain signals command another student's muscles.
Setup Pair a Master and a Minion volunteer and project SpikeRecorder from a laptop. The Human-Human Interface does not work with an iPhone or iPad.
$299.99
- Running total
- $999.96
Room checklist
Three things to set up before students walk in.
Microphone near the prep
Place it by the prep table so the room hears each setup step and the volunteers' answers.
Doc cam on the leg and spikes
Point the document camera at the prepared leg and its electrodes, so the whole room sees the setup.
SpikeRecorder on the projector
Mirror the laptop or phone running SpikeRecorder so the live trace fills the screen.
Three volunteer roles
Recruit three volunteers before the lecture, each with one job.
Anesthesiologist
Applies the electrode gel and sticky pads, and talks the room through each step.
Surgeon
Places the electrodes on the prepared leg or the volunteer's forearm, one at a time.
Electrophysiologist
Watches the live trace and explains what each spike means as it appears.
Keep exploring
Follow these paths to compare kits, activities, and audience guidance.
For universities
Kits, class sets and lab plans for university courses and outreach.
Audience guideExperiments
Choose a guided investigation and see every step.
See experimentsStore
Compare the tools used by each experiment.
Browse kitsPublications
Peer-reviewed research from the Backyard Brains team, including the SpikerBox paper.
Read the research
Buy for your lecture
Instant quote
Build a quote with your kits, shipping address and tax, and see your total before you order.
Pay by purchase order
Net 30. Open your quote, choose Send PO, enter your PO number and upload the PO as a PDF.
Questions?
Our education team can help you choose kits, plan a district order or answer a paperwork question.
