Figure 1

Experimental set up. (A) Surfaces Pictures. Photographs of the surfaces used in this paper. (B) It shows how the facial nerve must be stimulated for producing the artificial movement of the vibrissa, and the methodology used to obtain the recordings of the electrical activity in the deep vibrissal nerve (modified from [9]). The three slip-resistance levels were obtained by approaching the surfaces. At slip-resistance level 1 (p1), the vibrissa remains in contact with the surface without undergoing deformation. The slip-resistance levels 2 and 3 (p2 and p3) were obtained by using a micromanipulator, and bringing the surfaces closer to the vibrissa by 1 mm each time. (C) Recording site and placement of recording electrodes.