INFRA-E-MOTION - MOUSE-E-MOTION

Nutrition Monitor

Overview

The mouse-e-motion Nutrition Monitor is a highly precision and high-resolution recording system to monitor food and fluid consumption of mice and rats. The system not only displays total consumption but also records the temporal pattern of consumption. This way it is possible to create behaviour patterns and detect aberrations in the mouse or rat behaviour by means of their chow and/or water consumption. The system is placed on top of the standard mouse/rat cage to enable recording in the environment the animal is used to live in. Each monitor has 2 channels for consumption recording. Thus it is possible to choose between chow / chow -, chow /water-, and water/water recording.
	Example Configuration 1: 2 Channels 300g Mouse Nutrition Monitor Monitor with Data logger Configuration: Feed & Drink
	Cage:	Tecniplast Typ:2L (ca. 360 mm x 195 mm x 150 mm height)
	Bottle:	150 ml with magnet fixing
	Feeding:	Chamber with ca 50 g feeding powder with magnet fixing.


	Example Configuration 2: 2 Channels 600g Mouse Nutrition Monitor Monitor with Data logger Configuration: Feed & Drink
	Cage:	Tecniplast Typ 1291H (ca. 425 mm x 266 mm x 188 mm height)
	Bottle:	250 ml with screw fixing
	Feeding:	Chambers with ca 250 g feeding powder with clamp fixing.

Accuracy:

Even minimal consumption can be recorded by means of a resolution of 10 mg and accuracy of 10 to 30 mg (depends on ambient conditions like temperature and vibration).

Real Consumption

Recording:		It is the real consumption which is being recorded; not just a count how often the chow/water-source has been used. Erroneous recordings due to leakage or stripping are almost impossible by the way the device has been designed /constructed, thus establishing a really reliable consumption pattern. This way recordings using a highly viscose or even alcoholic liquid can be performed accurate.
Additional Data:		In addition to the consumption recording, the locomotion of the experimental animal is being recorded by an infrared-sensor. Using the data logger also the room temperature, the humidity in the room and the room illumination can be recorded.
Fail-Safety:		Even under "though lab" conditions the data result will be satisfying. Vibrations or disturbances caused by the rodent or by environmental conditions will by sorted out. A timeout of the system will happen only in case of a massive disruption; in such an occurrence the system will auto-start after a maximum of 60 seconds.
Stable calibration:		The sensors of the monitor are mechanically secured against excessive load and damage. As a result, the monitor doesn't need to be re-calibrated periodically.
Compensation:		The monitors have been extensively compensated against environmental temperature up- and downturns in order to reduce effect on the recorded weight. The ratio is 0,05g/°C In order to achieve highly precise recording results, it is always recommended to care for stable temperature conditions.
Proved:		G1-series of monitors are operated since 2006 and have since then continuously been developed with real animals and under realistic conditions.

Ways of Operation

Mobile or via PC:		The nutrition monitor can be operated in two different ways: either mobile using a mouse-e-motion data logger, or linked to a PC via cable.
Software:		Usage with the data logger: Data recorded are temporarily stored in the data logger and can later be transferred into an Excel Worksheet. Usage "linked with a PC": In this operation mode, a monitor is linked to another or more monitors via cable (Daisy-Chain). Only the first or last cable is being connected to a PC (or Laptop) by means of a USB interface adapter. By means of this connection the monitors are supplied with power and can be remotely controlled. Data recorded by the monitors are continuously being written into a text-file and can be pasted and analyzed with Excel.

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Last updated on Apr 14, 2011.

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