Twister3

Make 70 tetrodes per hour with the Twister3: a simple, fast and efficient tetrode maker.

Description

Twister3 is simple and fast microwire twister from the Wilson Lab at MIT.

It greatly increases the speed and repeatability of constructing twisted microwire neural probes (e.g. stereotrodes and tetrodes) compared to existing options.

It is cheap, well documented, and all associated designs and source code are open-source. Twister3 is of interest to any lab performing twisted microwire neural recordings, for example, using tetrode drives.

Detailed documentation on user performance measurements, construction, and usage can be found in the Twister3 manuscript. All associated designs are available on the Twister3 git repository.

A Quick-draw wire feeder allows wire to be pulled from up to 4 pre-loaded bobbins. There is no need to fold wire before it is twisted.

An auto-aligning, 3D-printed leaf spring allows the wire bundle to be quickly attached to the twisting motor provides constant wire tension during a twist and can withstand fast turn rates.

Using the quick-draw and motor attachment mechanisms is easy. The wire bundle is clamped with an alligator clip. The alligator clip is then drawn down to meet the magnet on the twisting attachment and the bundle is automatically forced into into axial alignment. The leaf spring provides tension in equilibrium with the wire. You are now ready to twist a tetrode.

The control box is used to set twist rates, number of turns turns, etc. It drives to motor for both twisting probes and re-loading quick-draw bobbins.

The motor is controlled with an advanced driver capable of interpolated control over 51,200 steps/revolution. The leaf-spring attachment mechanism rigidly constrains the motor and wire axis, but allows wire shortening during the turning. This permits fast twists, up to 1000 RPM.

Tetrode construction time for 3 new users. On average, these users made 70 tetrodes per hour.