Automated reproducible delivery of mechanical stimuli in animal experiments
AssigneeThe Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York
InventorsIshmail John Abdus-Saboor, Justin Burdge, Z. Anissa Jhumka, Jacob Nazarian, V, Tanya Tabachnik
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Abstract
An animal positioned on a perforated platform can be stimulated in an automated fashion. Images of the animal's paw are captured using a bottom-view camera positioned below the platform. Based on these images, an upwards-pointing tool is moved until it is directly beneath the paw. The animal is then stimulated automatically by moving the tool upwards to contact the paw, then moving it back down to cease the contact. Images of the animal are captured using at least one side-view camera, and these images can be analyzed to ascertain the animal's response to the stimulus.
Claims6
An apparatus for applying a stimulus to a paw of an animal that is supported by a platform, the platform having a plurality of openings through which the stimulus can be applied to the paw, the apparatus comprising:
- a motorized XY stage positioned beneath the platform, the XY stage having a base and a movable part;
- an actuator mounted to the movable part of the XY stage, wherein the actuator is configured to, in response to receipt of at least one input command, move a member up by a precise amount and subsequently move the member back down;
- a first tool mounted to the member, wherein the first tool is configured to apply the stimulus to the paw by (a) making contact with the paw through one of the openings in the platform when the member moves up, and (b) ceasing contact with the paw when the member moves back down;
- a first side-view camera positioned to capture side views of animals that are positioned on the platform;
- a bottom-view camera positioned below the platform to allow visualization of the animal's paw so that the paw can be targeted by the first tool;
- a first linear stage, wherein the first side-view camera is mounted on the first linear stage and wherein the first linear stage is configured to move the first side-view camera horizontally;
- and
- at least one controller programmed and configured to instruct the XY stage to move the movable part of the XY stage to a location in space at which the first tool is positioned directly beneath the paw, and subsequently send the at least one input command to the actuator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.