Pinpoint: trajectory planning for multi-probe electrophysiology and injections in an interactive web-based 3D environment

Targeting deep brain structures during electrophysiology and injections requires intensive training and expertise. Even with experience, researchers often can’t be certain that a probe is placed precisely in a target location and this complexity scales with the number of simultaneous probes used in an experiment. Here, we present Pinpoint, open-source software that allows for interactive exploration of stereotaxic insertion plans. Once an insertion plan is created, Pinpoint allows users to save these online and share them with collaborators. 3D modeling tools allow users to explore their insertions alongside rig and implant hardware and ensure plans are physically possible. Probes in Pinpoint can be linked to electronic micro-manipulators allowing real-time visualization of current brain region targets alongside neural data. In addition, Pinpoint can control manipulators to automate and parallelize the insertion process. Compared to previously available software, Pinpoint’s easy access through web browsers, extensive features, and real-time experiment integration enable more efficient and reproducible recordings.