A microprocessor system for the digital synthesis of pulsed and continuous discharges of electric fish (or animal vocalizations).

Traditionally, the sensitivity of electric fish to electric stimuli has been investigated using a variety of electronically generated signal functions, for example sine, square, and sawtooth waves (both continuous and pulsed). None of these resemble the species- or sex-specific electric organ discharges (EODs) of fish. Therefore, EODs recorded on magnetic tape were used in open-loop playback experiments. However, as shown in the present paper, the waveforms of EODs reproduced from magnetic tape are distorted, and cannot be manipulated with speed and accuracy as to frequency or pulse repetition rate by feedback from the experiment. Good EOD imitations are generated by our microprocessor-based system for the digital synthesis of EODs which is controlled by a small 'personal computer'. Digitized EOD samples edited by computer are output by the fast digital-to-analogue converter of the microprocessor system. This system was devised for the synthesis of pulse-type (discontinuous) and wave type (continuous) EODs with continuous, on-line frequency and amplitude control. The rate of digital synthesis is 500 kHz in pulse-type EODs, and 250-500 kHz in wave type EODs at 0.06-0.24 Hz frequency resolution, depending on the repetition frequency of the synthesized wave EOD. The present paper describes the steps in EOD synthesis, and indicates some applications which benefit from the playback of high-fidelity imitations of natural EODs at amplitudes and frequencies selected by the experimenter, or automatically controlled by feedback from the experiment in closed-loop applications.