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Automated Mouse Maze

Automated Mouse Maze. Advisor: Dr. Michael McDonald Matthew Nichols Anand Krishnan. Project Definition. To develop a completely automated T Maze. Maze Usage. Mazes are used in learning experiments Can give insight such issues as: ADHD Alzheimer's disease Genetic alterations

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Automated Mouse Maze

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  1. Automated Mouse Maze Advisor: Dr. Michael McDonald Matthew Nichols Anand Krishnan

  2. Project Definition • To develop a completely automated T Maze

  3. Maze Usage • Mazes are used in learning experiments • Can give insight such issues as: • ADHD • Alzheimer's disease • Genetic alterations • Brain Damage

  4. Maze Usage • Mazes are used to compare response of control mice to test mice • Test mice can be genetically, surgically, chemically, or naturally altered. • The data from the two sets of mice is collected and compared.

  5. T Maze Concept • Control mice are taught to follow a pattern in the maze • Food or water is used as reward • Test mice are then taught to follow same pattern with same reward • The response is the time it takes each set of mice to learn the pattern and how long they can remember their path

  6. Variables • How long a mouse is held in an arm • Food or water can be used interchangeably • Different mice with different conditions can be used

  7. Why Automate • T Maze concept originally developed using rats • Rats like to be handled, mice do not • Mice soon learn that if they just sit there, they will not be handled

  8. Automating • Computer used to track mice, open doors, dispense food and water, and collect data. • Mouse only needs to be handled to start and stop the maze

  9. Added Benefits of Automation • Frees up the researcher in lengthy test • Reduces human error in tracking mouse • Data can be stored automatically

  10. Why Design The Maze • Automated mazes are commercially available, but not in T maze design • T shape necessary for certain learning experiments

  11. Market Potential • Psychology and animal research departments at major universities and private bio-tech companies • Vanderbilt, Brown, Princeton, and many other universities are currently involved in maze projects

  12. Key Steps • Research computer device interaction • Research automated doors, feeders, etc… • Build all necessary circuits to interact with the computer • Write the software to control the maze • To test the maze to ensure data can be collected

  13. Major Obstacles • Computer and Device I/O • Tracking the mouse • Mouse behavior • Simple computer interface

  14. Maze Construction and Design • Digital I/O card used for computer device interface • Infrared sensors used to track the mouse • Commercially available automated doors will be used • Software will written in Visual Basic

  15. Maze Diagram

  16. Data Storage • Data will be stored in a spread sheet format • Time it takes mouse to run maze and error rate will be recorded

  17. Current Progress • Physical maze constructed • Digital I/O card installed • Maze Control Cards Constructed • Program Half Way complated

  18. Sticking Points • IR SENSORS • Unexpected mice activity

  19. Future Work • Use 1 computer controls multiple mazes • Increase the number of test patterns the mouse could run

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