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Invertebrates
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Grade 4+
Neuron SpikerBox
See and hear real neurons firing — live, in your classroom.
The Neuron SpikerBox lets students record actual action potentials from invertebrate neurons. This is real electrophysiology — the same technique used in research labs around the world — made accessible for classrooms, homeschools, and curious minds.
Key features:
- Records real action potentials (spikes) from cockroach leg neurons
- Built-in speaker — hear each spike as it fires
- Connects to laptops, smartphones, and tablets for visual recording via Spike Recorder software
- Beginner-friendly yet powerful enough for undergraduate and graduate research
What's included:
- Neuron SpikerBox unit
- Recording electrode (silver wire)
- USB and smartphone cables
- Cork board and pins for preparation
What students learn:
- What a real action potential looks and sounds like
- How neurons encode information through firing rate
- Thresholds, refractory periods, and rate coding
- Foundation for advanced topics: neuropharmacology, sensory coding, neural adaptation
Who it's for:
- AP Biology, anatomy, and neuroscience classrooms
- Undergraduate teaching labs
- Science fair projects
- Anyone who wants to experience real neuroscience, not just read about it
As seen in Greg Gage's TED Talks — the tool that started the Backyard Brains movement. Pairs with cockroaches (sold separately) and the Neuropharmacology Kit for expanded experiments.
Qty
$249.99
In stock
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More Experiments
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Invertebrate
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Grade 9+
Cricket Cercal System
Ever wondered how substances like nicotine and MSG alter brain activity? Explore how neurotransmitters affect sensory neuron responses with help from a cricket!
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Invertebrate
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College Level
Excitatory Neurotransmitters
Ever wondered how chemicals like nicotine influence neural activity? Discover how excitatory neurotransmitters dramatically enhance sensory responses in the cricket nervous system!
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Somatosensory Neurons – Unlocking the Neural Code of Touch
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Touch and Pressure: How Your Body Feels Different Forces
Discover how neurons detect and respond to different touch intensities in a cockroach leg
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Somatotopy
In this experiment, you’ll explore how touch neurons respond differently depending on the part of the body that’s stimulated.
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Invertebrate
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Grade 4+
Spikes! Hear and See Living Neurons
Learn how neurons send signals by exploring cockroach nervous system activity driving movement.
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How Fast Are Neurons? (Conduction Velocity)
Explore how fast signals travel in nerves by measuring spike conduction velocity using an earthworm model.
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Invertebrate
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Grade 6+
Neural Adaptation
In this experiment, you’ll investigate how sensory neurons adapt to constant stimuli, a process called neural adaptation.
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Invertebrate
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Grade 6+
Neuron Stimulation
Test if alternating electrical currents, like from earbuds, can stimulate a cockroach leg after recording neuron signals.
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Invertebrate
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Grade 9+
Neuropharmacology: Neurotransmitters in Action
We’ve explored how neurons transmit electrical signals, but chemical signaling also plays a crucial role in neuron communication.
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Invertebrate
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Grade 9+
Referencing Your Spikes
Why do we need more than one electrode to measure neural activity? In this experiment, you’ll explore the role of reference electrodes and how their placement affects recordings. -
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- 1x Neuron SpikerBox
- 1x 2-Channel Recording Pin Electrodes
- 1x Blue USB Cable
- 1x Red Stimulation Cable
- 1x 9V Battery
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App
BYB Spike Recorder
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Schematic
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