Corporate Overview

Overview

Overview
Plexon is a leading provider of innovative data-acquisition hardware and software for recording and analyzing signals from the brain and peripheral nervous system. Based in Dallas, Texas, Plexon provides tools for basic brain and nervous system communication research, brain-machine interfaces, and neuroprosthetics for the growing neurotechnology industry.

Founded in 1983 by Harvey Wiggins, Plexon has grown from a one-person company to a team of engineers, biophysicists, and neuroscientists with expertise in research, product development, and advanced neurotechnology research systems. Plexon's customers include over 400 domestic and international academic research labs, research hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, and military labs. For example, Plexon's Multichannel Acquisition Processor is being used in groundbreaking neural research by customers such as the East China Normal University in Shanghai, where it is used to study the role of genes in Alzheimer's Disease, and at Duke University's Center for Neuroengineering, where neuroscientists are conducting experiments linking the brain to robotic devices. In recognition of the organization's accomplishments, Plexon was named to the North America Fast 500 and the Texas Crescent Technology Fast 50 by Deloitte & Touche USA LLP in both 2004 and 2005.

What We Do

Plexon designs, builds, and markets advanced hardware and software that is used to acquire, amplify, record, and analyze action potential signals (spikes) from individual brain cells (neurons), as well as lower frequency field potential (LFP and EEG) signals and behavioral and stimulus events. These signals are typically recorded from live brains (animal or human), brain-slice culture, or chambers. Plexon's products enable online, real-time visualization of neural signals relative to external events and stimuli.

This data is used for a wide variety of purposes, such as:

• studying basic information processing in the brain relating to visual, auditory, motor, memory, and other neural functions
• studying the effects of drugs and toxins on brain information processing
• controlling external devices such as prosthetic limbs or machine hardware systems

Typically researchers implant electrodes in the brain or mount them in a brain-slice culture. Plexon's solutions use advanced pattern recognition and cluster analysis algorithms to discriminate and assign individual waveforms to specific neurons.

The result is the timing of the individual spikes that represent a neural code, which can be used to determine communication pathways and map the functional operation of the nervous system. In addition to providing insight into basic brain function, this technology has broad implications in the development of interfaces for direct brain-machine communication and for prosthetic devices for nervous-system impaired individuals.

For additional information on our neurotechnology research systems, contact Plexon at 214-369-4957 or at info@plexoninc.com.