1. To inform and promote enthusiasm

about neuroscience to residents of

North Carolina, targeting youth

2. To provide fun, structured

opportunities for students, faculty and

staff at the UNC Bowles Center for

Alcohol Studies to practice community

engagement

Goals

Acknowledgments

North Carolina Museum of Life and

Science provided hands-on lab space

and support from museum staff

UNC Bowles Center for Alcohol

Studies provided new, brain-centered

exhibit staffed by scientist volunteers

Dana Foundation provided Brain

Awareness Week supplies (activity

books, pencils, brain erasers, stickers)

Materials

Activity Guides

• 31 volunteer scientists from UNC and

the community

• 630 visitors (425 children, 205 adults)

• Groups of 3-5 children (plus parents)

came through the exhibit at a time

• Station 1: Brains

• The “Claw”

• Brochures

• Claw Bundle from Backyard Brains

Brain Awareness Week: Robo-Brain Interactive Exhibit

The following information was provided to all volunteers prior to their shift.

Activities in the Investigate Health Lab:

Station 1: The brain. The human brain that we bring is the star of the show. People are either excited or scared or

disgusted or curious – they have definite opinions on touching a brain! Rat and mouse brains will be in small, sealed

vials. Sheep brains and the human brain can be touched by visitors, but only with gloves. Sheep and human brains need

to be kept damp when not in use (cover with a damp cloth).

• One person will staff this station, and we can talk to visitors about the brain and how it controls our muscles and

● What makes you move? (muscles, your brain) ● What tells your muscles to move?

● How does the brain talk to your muscles? ● What part of the brain controls our muscles?

● If someone got hurt, what could keep someone from being able to move their legs or hands? Where could the

injury be? (motor cortex, spinal cord, arm or leg)

● How could machines be used to help people who can’t move their arms or hands?

Station 2: The “Claw” – controlled by brain power. Two people will staff this station. This activity uses a portable EMG

to pick up the electrical potentials of your muscle to control a robotic claw. We will apply electrodes to the inside of the

forearm, above the flexor digitoris muscles. (A step-by-step guide is below.) We will lead the visitors through visualizing

the strength of the muscle contraction (little lights light up). Next, we will assist them to use the claw to pick up a plastic

brain and hold it as long as they can. You can get an idea of what we are doing by looking at the product description

• If they are willing, then tell them you will need to attach an electrode to their arm – it will be taped on. *Again,

make sure they are ok with this, as some kids will be timid.*

• We’ll use a set of muscles called the flexor digitoris muscles – flexor means to flex, and digitoris refers to our fingers.

*Help the visitor to feel these muscles working before attaching any electrodes.* To feel these muscles, extend

your arm with your palm up. Make a fist and bring it back toward your body. You can feel the flexor muscles tighten.

(You can see a picture of this on the attached “Claw” instructions.)

• When they feel it, it will make it more real that they are actually moving their muscle.

• When you feel their muscle, you will have a good idea of where to attach the electrodes.

Public health messages. As always, we want some good take-

home messages. The exhibit shows how electrical activity from

reinforce healthy behaviors: wearing helmets, eating healthy food,

protecting our brains from drugs and alcohol (or excessive alcohol

in the case of adults).

We will have brochures from NIH and SAMHSA on alcohol use –

talking to your kids about alcohol, what is problem drinking, etc.

Please encourage adults to take these, and talk about research we

do to understand alcohol’s effects on the brain and body.

Freebies to give to kids. We will have pencils with brain erasers,

pins and stickers. Let children choose what they want (one item

per child). We will also have brochures on underage drinking and

black (ground) lead.

• Now, before the claw is attached, have them tighten the muscles and see the LED lights on the

main board light up – *make sure they can reach red.* If not, you can adjust the sensitivity with

the white button. Ideally, a strong contraction will reach red, but after a few seconds it will

flicker as the muscles fatigue. They will enjoy seeing the lights reflect their effort.

• Next, you can attach the claw – the yellow wire should be oriented toward the middle of the

board. Be gentle – it won’t go down all the way.

• Now when they contract – you will still have the LEDs but also the claw will contract. (The red

button changes the direction of the claw – try to keep it on contraction = closing.)

• You can play around with trying to pick up the plastic brain with the claw and seeing how long