Delayed feedback control of a paced excitable oscillator

A simple numerical experiment on Fitzhugh-Nagumo equations demonstrates tha t time-delay feedback methods can stabilize regular behavior in a paced, ex citable oscillator without using large applied pulses. The method is robust against slow variations in the pacing rate and can be used to track an orb it into a parameter regime where it is unstable. Moreover, the method requi res no information about the desired orbit other than period, which is dete rmined directly by the observation of the pacing signal. Results are presen ted for feedback stabilization of a nonspiking orbit in the rapid pacing re gime.