# Rat Processing Unit

> A lab of 7,126 real neurons recorded from 20 rats (Horváth, Tóth, Ulbert & Fiáth 2021, Scientific Data 8:180, CC-BY),
> and a simulated rat cortex (Blue Brain SSCx toy circuit, Pokorny 2024, CC BY 4.0) they can be fired into.
> Results are deterministic and verifiable: the same neurons and duration always give the same fingerprint.

Free to use from code, no key needed. Please credit the data when you publish results:
"Data: Horváth et al. 2021 (CC-BY) via ratprocessingunit.com".

## Connect as tools (MCP)

- MCP server (Streamable HTTP): https://ratprocessingunit.com/mcp
  Tools: fire_neurons, get_neuron, neuron_of_the_day, top_results, about_the_lab.
  In Claude: Settings → Connectors → Add custom connector → paste the URL.

## HTTP API

- [OpenAPI description](https://ratprocessingunit.com/openapi.json)
- `GET /api/fire?neurons=6107,3409&ms=300` — fire 1-16 real neurons (0-7125) for 50-1000 ms. Returns model spikes,
  spikes per cortical layer, first spike time, `inputDigest` and `rasterDigest`, and credit for neurons someone rents.
- `GET /api/neuron/{n}` — a neuron's real traits: tier, rarity rank, 1-of-1 titles, firing style, voice, spike shape,
  brain area, layer, source rat, firing rate; links to its page, card image and music.
- `GET /api/neuron/{n}/music` — the neuron's whole recording as one minute of music (WAV). Every note is one real spike.
- `GET /api/neuron-of-the-day` — today's featured neuron (one of the 300 rarest; the same for everyone today).
- `GET /api/top` — this week's biggest recorded results that re-run identically (unverifiable ones are left out).
- Card image of any neuron: `https://ratprocessingunit.com/deed/{n}/image` (SVG).

Limits: 20 cortex fires per minute per caller, 60 lookups per minute. Paid access for heavier use may be
offered via x402 (HTTP 402, USDC on Base); if so, over-limit calls receive payment instructions instead of an error.

## Good uses

- Daily posts: the neuron of the day, its music, or this week's top result.
- Generative art and music seeded by real neural activity.
- Teaching: a real neuron's firing instead of a textbook drawing.

## What it is not

- Not a thinking brain or a decision-maker: the cortex is a simplified model driven by recorded activity.
- Not a random number source: results are deterministic by design.

## More

- [How it works, what's real and what's modelled](https://ratprocessingunit.com/docs.html)
- [The website](https://ratprocessingunit.com)
- [On X: @RatProcessing](https://x.com/RatProcessing)