# ONIX: A Neural Acquisition System for Unencumbered, Closed-Loop Recordings in Small, Freely Moving Animals

> **NIH NIH R44** · OPEN EPHYS, INC · 2022 · $707,156

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Over the last century, extracellular recording technologies have progressed from handmade needle electrodes
and vacuum tube amplifiers to microfabricated devices containing hundreds of recording sites and on-chip
digitization circuits. This technological arc has facilitated Nobel-prize winning discoveries such as the unitary
nature of action potentials, the computations underlying mammalian vision, and the neural basis of spatial
learning, among many other notable findings. To study increasingly sophisticated aspects of brain function,
technical development has been driven by two competing goals: (1) permitting high-fidelity communication with
as many neurons as possible and (2) minimizing the impact of recordings on normal animal behavior. While
great progress has been made on the first goal, there is growing recognition that increased effort must be
allotted to reduce the behavioral burden of neural implants, especially in mice.
Toward this end, Open Ephys Inc. proposes to create ONIX, a high-performance neural recording ecosystem
that permits unencumbered mouse behavior for arbitrarily long recording sessions in large, complex
environments. A key component of ONIX will be head-mounted devices that measure their own position and
orientation. This information is sent to a low-cost, easy-to-install cable robot that keeps the ONIX ultra-light
tether approximately vertical at all times while compensating for tether induced head torque. This enables, for
the first time, recordings during unencumbered naturalistic mouse behavior. Further, using advanced digital
circuitry, ONIX will be probe-agnostic and capable of working with all modern recording devices, including Intan
chips, Neuropixels, and miniature endoscopes for calcium imaging. ONIX will seamlessly integrate into
existing, widely used software such as the Open Ephys GUI, Bonsai, and DeepLabCut Live for maximum
market penetration without requiring labs to learn new tools or modify acquisition workflows. In summary, ONIX
will provide high-bandwidth, closed-loop performance without burdening mice in room-scale 3D environments.
In combination with other innovative tools for rich, quantitative measurement of animal behavior, ONIX will
accelerate the field towards a golden age of quantitative neuroethology.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10482182
- **Project number:** 1R44NS127725-01
- **Recipient organization:** OPEN EPHYS, INC
- **Principal Investigator:** Jonathan Newman
- **Activity code:** R44 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $707,156
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-08-23 → 2024-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10482182

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10482182, ONIX: A Neural Acquisition System for Unencumbered, Closed-Loop Recordings in Small, Freely Moving Animals (1R44NS127725-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10482182. Licensed CC0.

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