Journal of Bionic Engineering (2024) 21:842–851 https://doi.org/10.1007/s42235-023-00456-5 1 3 

Identifcation of Motor Nuclei in the Medulla Oblongata of Carp for Biological Control Yang Zhao1,5 · Yong Peng1,3,4  · Yudong Wen1  · Lingjun Han1  · Yanhong Yan2,3,4 · Xueying Dong1  · Hui Zhang1  · Zheng Zhao1  · Xiaoyue Liu1

1 School of Electrical Engineering, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004, China 2 School of Mechanical Engineering, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004, China 3 Key Laboratory of National Defense of Mechanical Structure and Material Science Under Extreme Conditions, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004, China 4 Institute of Marine Science and Engineering, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004, China 5 Shijiazhuang University, Shijiazhuang 050035, China

AbstractBrain-controlled technology is the key technology in biological control, and the corresponding relationship between animal brain nuclei and motor behavior is the core. The purpose of this study was to explore the motor nuclei of the medulla oblongata in carp. The carps were subjected to electrical stimulation and chemical stimulation experiments, respectively, in the water-free state, and the efective chemical stimulation sites were injected with the pontamine sky blue solution. The brain tissue sections were obtained by parafn tissue section technology and the neutral red staining method. By comparing the positions of the brain nuclei shown in earlier studies, the motor nerve nuclei in the medulla oblongata were identifed. The brain electrode was implanted into the motor nucleus of the medulla oblongata, and the underwater control experiment and behavioral tests were carried out with diferent electrical stimulation parameters. The results showed that the abducens nucleus (NVI) was the motor nucleus that controls the ipsilateral steering, and the facial nucleus (NVII) was the motor nucleus that controls the forward movement. By adjusting the stimulation voltage and the stimulation pulse number, the carp can be stably controlled to achieve a left–right steering motion of 30°–180° and a forward motion of more than 80 cm/s. This study indicated that the quantitative control of the steering and forward behavior of the carp can be achieved by electrical stimulation of the NVI and NVII, which provided a certain experimental basis for the accurate control of the carp robot.

Keywords Biological control · Carp · Medulla oblongata motor nucleus · Electrical stimulation technique · Chemical stimulation technique