Devices and methods for analyzing rodent behavior
AssigneesChildren's Medical Center Corporation, President and Fellows of Harvard College
InventorsClifford J. Woolf, David P. Roberson, Alexander B. Wiltschko, Sandeep Robert Datta
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A device for detecting and recording animal behavior is provided. The device includes at least one corral that defines contained field, the base surface of the at least one corral being sensitive to the animal's footprint. The device also includes an image capturing device that cooperates with the base surface to capture both a profile of the animal's full footprint and a profile of the animal's toe print when the animal is standing on its toes. In some embodiments, the device is capable of providing a stimulus to the animal and observing the resulting behavior of the animal via the image capturing device.
Claims28
A device for detecting and recording animal behavior, the device comprising:
- at least one corral defining a contained field, the at least one corral including a base surface with a plurality of lights positioned around a periphery of the base surface, the plurality of lights emitting band lights that are totally internally reflected within the base surface, the at least one corral being sensitive to a footprint of the animal such that contact between the footprint of the animal and the base surface frustrates the totally internally reflected light and refracts the light out of the base surface;
- and
- an image capturing device cooperating with the base surface to detect the refracted light and capture both a profile of a full footprint of the animal and a profile of a toe print of the animal when the animal is standing on its toes.
A device for detecting and recording animal behavior, the device comprising:
- a transparent base surface with a plurality of lights positioned around a periphery of the base surface, the plurality of lights emitting band lights that are totally internally reflected within the base surface, the base surface being sensitive to a footprint of the animal such that contact between the footprint of the animal and the base surface frustrates the totally internally reflected light and refracts the light out of the base surface;
- and
- an image capturing device beneath the base surface to detect the refracted light and capture both an image of a full footprint of the animal and an image of a toe print of the animal when the animal is standing on its toes;
- wherein the device is adapted to provide a stimulus to the animal.
A method of collecting behavioral information of a group of animals, at least a subset of the group of animals in a corral being isolated from another subset of the group of animals, the method comprising:
- stimulating a first animal with a stimulus;
- and
- observing a resulting behavior of the first animal via imaging both a footprint and a toe print of the first animal in response to the stimulus;
- wherein imaging both the footprint and toe print of the first animal comprises capturing a frustrated totally internally reflected light resulting from contact between the footprint and the toe print of the first animal and the base surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.