Animal motion and temperature monitoring

A computer method for identifying and monitoring animals in a confined space, comprising the steps:

• providing a tracking apparatus having a plurality of antenna arrays in proximity to a confined space;
• associating one or more animals to be disposed in the confined space with a detection component operable to identify and detect a core body temperature of an animal it is associated with when detected by the tracking apparatus;
• receiving data in a computer monitor system from a detection component when detected by the tracking apparatus in the confined space wherein the received data identifies an animal in correlation with its motion and temperature data when the animal is located in close proximity to one of the plurality of antenna arrays in the confined space;
• determine real-time position and core body temperature of a detected animal disposed in the confined space by analysis of the received data in the computer monitor system;
• and
• generate for each identified animal a motion and temperature profile indicating the detected motion of the animal in the confined space and correlate the motion and temperature profile with an apportioned region of the confined space so as to generate on a computer display a UI illustrating a unique identifier of an animal in association with its generated motion and temperature profile as correlated with the apportioned region of the confined space.

A computer method for identifying and monitoring animals in a cage, comprising the steps:

• providing a tracking apparatus having a plurality of antenna arrays in proximity to the cage;
• associating one or more animals to be disposed in the confined space with a detection component inserted internal of an animal in a capsule, the detection component operable to identify and detect a core body temperature of an animal it is associated with when detected by the tracking apparatus wherein each detection component includes an RFID detection element and temperature sensing device for determining a core body temperature of an animal the detection component is associated with;
• emitting an RFID signal from each antenna array of the at least one tracking apparatus configured to interact with a detection component receiving the emitted RFID signal to facilitate transmission of data from the detection component to the at least one tracking apparatus;
• receiving data in a computer monitor system from a detection component when detected by the emitted RFID signal of the tracking apparatus wherein the received data identifies an animal in correlation with its motion and temperature data when the animal is located in close proximity to one of the plurality of antenna arrays in the cage;
• determining real-time position and core body temperature of a detected animal disposed in the cage by analysis of the received data in the computer monitor system;
• defining a plurality of subgroups from the plurality of the animals;
• generating motion and temperature profile data in the computer monitor system for each defined subgroup of animals in the cage for a prescribed period of time including generating the average, mean and median values for the determined motion and temperature profiles of each defined animal subgroup so as to be utilized in subsequent laboratory analytics;
• correlating the motion and temperature profile for each defined subgroup of animals with an apportioned region of the cage;
• and
• generating on the display of the UI the motion and temperature profile for each defined subgroup of animals indicating the detected motions and temperatures of the defined subgroup of animals in the cage as correlated with the apportioned region of the cage.