Timing Self-generated Actions for Sensory Streaming

Abstract

This article introduces a bio-inspired neural network that uses timing for streaming self-generated signals. Timing messages in a crowded informatics space is a well-known method for collision avoidance (i.e. 802.11 protocol). Recently, Nogueira and Caputi (2011) have shown that timing the emission of a sensory carrier allows electric fish to stream self-generated signals through a refractoriness window in the presence of interference. Here I model the system and show that a simple sensory-motor feedback loop is enough for adapting the timing of the pacemaker controlling the emission of the carrier. Critical aspects of this behavior are the shape of the refractoriness window and the duration of signals effects on the motor command.