Equipment for animal physiology research
Moscow, Zelenograd

Shelter: rodent behavioral study system

The system provides automated testing of cognitive functions (learnability and memory) of laboratory animals on the basis of electric irritation avoidance. Compatible for mice, rats and other rodents.

Statistical results:

  1. Stimulus response delay
  2. Stay time in different zones
  3. Movement path in separate zones
  4. Per zone stats (average, dispersion, expectation)
  5. Generalized statistics for multiple records

Supported methods

Supported test paradigms:

1 Passive avoidance test

Step through
The enclosed space where the rodent is placed is divided into two chambers, in one of them there is light, in the other is darkness.
The rodent is placed in the bright compartment. As soon as the rodent goes to the dark side – the electric grid and sharp sound turn on.

Step down
The rodent is placed on a small platform located at a certain height from the floor.
As soon as the rodent goes down, electrocutaneous irritation begins.

2The conditional reaction of active avoidance (CRAA)

The room is divided into two compartments. The rodent is presented with a sequence of stimuli (light, pause, electric current with a sharp sound).
The rodent has to study to be in time to move from one compartment to another before the emergence of electroskin irritation.

3 Conflict situations by Vogel

The rodent is not given food or water for a long time.
The rodent is placed in the compartment, where there is a feeder or a drinking bowl.
As soon as the rodent comes to the water or food in the compartment starts electrocutaneous stimulation.

4Preference of place

For this technique, walls with different wallpaper (squares, strips, dots) are used.
The preferred wallpaper is determined according to measures the residence time of the rodent in different rooms.

Specifications

Linear dimensions (WxHxD) 600х520х320 mm
Materials opaque black plexiglass, aluminum, steel
Detection of staying on the platform Optical in the infrared range
Connecting to a computer USB
Platform illumination at a daylight with the closed doors, without internal lamps 2 lx
Platform illumination by the light of lamps on the one side 115 lx
Platform illumination by the light of lamps from the both sides 185 lx
Step of an electric grid
the distance between the axes of rods
Grid for rats: 16 mm
Grid for mice: 8 mm
The free distance between the rods Grid for rats: 13 мм
Grid for mice: 5 мм
The diameter of the rods of the electric grid 3 мм
Pulsing automatic (controled by software)
Polarity switching on rods 10 Hz, 8 phases
Minimum duration of an electric pulse 50 ms
Maximum current strength of the electric grid 15 mA
Maximum voltage of the electric grid 100 V
Power supply 220 V
PC requirements Processor not less then Сore 2 Duo
Microsoft Windows 7 SP1/8/10
(it is necessary to have Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5)
Warranty 2 years
Production Russia, LLC «Neurobotics»

Possible configurations

Shelter with black walls and a simple internal wall with a hole resembling burrow
Black walls, a simple internal wall with a hole resembling burrow
Shelter with black walls and motorized door with a hole resembling burrow
Black walls, motorized door with a hole resembling burrow
Shelter with a dark and bright room for CRPA Step-through
Dark and bright room (Lightbox) for CRPA Step-through
Walls with wallpaper for the method of place preference (Place preference)
Walls with wallpaper for the method of place preference (Place preference)
Black walls, the  round platform for the method CRPA Step-down
Black walls, round platform for the method CRPA Step-down
Shelter with black walls and the rectangular platform for the method  CRPA Step-down
Black walls, the rectangular platform for the method CRPA Step-down
Shelter with a feeder for the methodology of conflict situations by Vogel
The feeder for the methodology of conflict situations by Vogel
Shelter with a drinking bowl for the methodology of conflict situations by Vogel
The drinking bowl for the methodology of conflict situations by Vogel

Features

The hardware-software complex is created according to safety requirements of the medical equipment:

The electric grid is the floor in the Shelter. The walls can be easily removed, washed, replaced by other.

Types of walls:

Software

Neurobotix Shelter: carrying out experiments
Carrying out experiments
Neurobotix Shelter: carrying out experiments
Carrying out experiments
Neurobotix Shelter: script creation
Script creation
Neurobotix Shelter: view experiment
View experiment
Neurobotix Shelter: viewing the results of the experiment
Viewing the results of the experiment
Neurobotix Shelter: viewing of results in selection of experiments
Viewing of results in selection of experiments

Packages and prices

Standard equipment
  • stimulation and control unit
  • the base and rails
  • pallet
  • electro grid for the rats
  • 2 walls with doors
  • 4 black walls
  • 2 transparent walls
  • wall with a hole resembling burrow
  • 3 removable platforms (150х50x10 mm, 80x40x10 mm, round D120 mm)
stimulation and control unit electro grid for the rats
2 walls with doors 4 black walls 2 transparent walls wall with a hole resembling burrow
On request
Motorized door with a hole resembling burrow Motorized door with a hole resembling burrow On request
The set of wallpapers
6 options, each option contains 4 walls, total in the set - 24 walls
  • vertical stripes
  • horizontal stripes
  • diagonal stripes
  • chess squares
  • circles
  • dots
The set of vertical stripes wallpapers The set of chess squares wallpapers On request
Electro grid for the rats Electro grid for the rats On request
Work station
  • laptop with mouse,
  • software
Work station On request

Training video instructions

Building Shelter

Resources and downloads

Manual (Version 2.5)
Shelter Software (Version 3.1.2)

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