Client
University of Pittsburg and Carnegie Mellon University
RoleS
Concept Art, Illustration
Year
2025
Description
Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) can provide a tool to explore and challenge temporal structures observed in neural population activity. In this study, monkeys using BCIs struggled to override their own neural dynamics, which unfold like a one-way path. Using the power of metaphor, this illustration depicts a monkey about to traverse the dynamical structure of its own neural activity, highlighting the recursive nature of observing oneself.
View it online at Nature Neuroscience.
Background
This project was completed for Dr. Aaron Batista, principal investigator of the Sensory Motor Integration Laboratory at the University of Pittsburg, as well as Dr. Byron Yu, assistant professor of biomedical engineering at Carnegie Mellon University. This cover illustration is meant to conceptually depict the findings of their paper Dynamical constraints on neural population activity, which was published in Nature Neuroscience in January 2025.
They used brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) to measure the neural activity of monkeys. The monkeys observed a visual representation of their neural activity on a computer screen in real-time. When challenged to alter the course of their neural activity (the path of electrical activity through the 3D landscape of neurons in the brain), the monkeys were unable to do so. This reveals that neural activity is constrained by the underlying neural landscape, and thus follows a specific structure.
The researchers wanted to utilize a metaphor that showed the neural activity as a one-way path, such as a road or a ski hill. The initial thumbnail sketches explored various ways to show this:
Production
The clients liked both the ski slope and road metaphors, so I created some additional sketches. After some deliberation, we settled on the road concept and explored some alternative ways to highlight the fact that the monkey can only move in one direction.
Once we decided on the road with arrows concept, I moved into full colour production. I modelled the road in Blender to get the perspective and lighting just right. The monkey went through several iterations, starting with a more cartoony style, and moving to a more realistic monkey walking along the path.
You can see the evolution from start to finish below. Overall, this was an extremely fun project to work on and I was thrilled to hear it was selected as the official cover for Nature Neuroscience! Conceptual illustrations are always a treat, since I can be more creative compared to the didactic science illustrations I usually work on. Hopefully this is the first of many future cover designs!
