Experimental setup for three-dimensional goal-oriented navigation of pigeons

Abstract

The invention discloses a three-dimensional target-oriented navigation experimental device suitable for pigeons, comprising a pigeon activity space with a target-oriented device at the bottom, an automatic feeding device arranged above the pigeon activity space, and the automatic feeding device is controlled by the target-oriented device through wireless communication; a video monitoring and recording device driven by the target-oriented device is arranged above the pigeon activity space. The advantages of the invention are that the structure is simple and reasonable, and a three-dimensional space target-oriented navigation experiment can be realized according to the living habits and movement characteristics of pigeons, and the guiding target can also be flexibly switched between two-dimensional and three-dimensional, which fully meets the experimental research needs for animals with three-dimensional space movement ability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the field of neurophysiology and neuroelectrophysiology experimental technology of animal behavior, and in particular to a three-dimensional target-oriented navigation experimental device suitable for pigeons. Background Art

[0002] Goal-directed navigation is a goal-driven navigation method, such as instinctive foraging, pigeons homing, etc., which is crucial to the daily life and survival of humans and animals. Developing a goal-directed navigation experimental device and revealing the neural mechanism of goal-directed navigation have important application value for understanding the movement mechanism of animal spatial navigation, as well as developing bionic robots and neurorehabilitation equipment. However, most of the existing goal-directed navigation experimental devices are aimed at model animals in two-dimensional space, such as rats and mice. For animals with three-dimensional spatial movement ability, such as pigeons, there is no goal-directed navigation experimental device that meets their physiological characteristics and movement habits.

[0003] Pigeons are typical model animals for spatial cognition and navigation research, and have strong experimental operability. The brain neural mechanisms of pigeons' spatial cognition and navigation functions are becoming a hot topic in neuroscience research. Therefore, it is very necessary to develop a goal-oriented navigation experimental device that conforms to the physiological characteristics and movement habits of pigeons to meet the research on three-dimensional spatial movement ability. Summary of the invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to utilize the three-dimensional spatial motion characteristics of pigeons to provide a three-dimensional target-oriented navigation experimental device suitable for pigeons. The experimental device overcomes the limitations of the current existing experimental devices and enables it to meet the research on the neural mechanism of three-dimensional spatial target-oriented navigation of pigeons and other animals.

[0005] To achieve the above purpose, the present invention can adopt the following technical solutions:

[0006] The three-dimensional target-guided navigation experimental device suitable for pigeons described in the present invention comprises a pigeon activity space with a target-guided device at the bottom, an automatic feeding device is arranged above the pigeon activity space, and the automatic feeding device is controlled by the target-guided device through wireless communication; a video monitoring device driven by the target-guided device is arranged above the pigeon activity space.

[0007] The video monitoring device includes a video tracking system and a main control computer. The video tracking system includes a camera and a video acquisition device. The camera controlled by the microcontroller of the target guidance device is connected to the video acquisition device and the main control computer through a data line.

[0008] The pigeon activity space is an upper open barrel with a certain depth, with a shelf horizontally arranged near the bottom wall of the barrel, and a through hole is opened on the shelf; the target guiding device includes a support arranged on the bottom wall of the barrel and a lifting rod vertically arranged on the support, the lifting rod passes through the through hole opened on the shelf, and a table with a diameter matching the through hole is horizontally arranged on the top of the lifting rod, and a pressure sensor is arranged on the table, and the pressure sensor is connected to a buzzer arranged on the support and a microcontroller equipped with a wireless transmitter by wire.

[0009] The automatic feeding device includes a feed box, at the bottom of which a discharge port is provided; the lower end of the armature of a push-pull electromagnet longitudinally placed in the feed box is fixedly connected to a blocking member for opening and closing the discharge port; a microcontroller for controlling the action of the push-pull electromagnet is provided on the side wall of the feed box, a wireless receiver is installed on the microcontroller, and the microcontroller and the push-pull electromagnet are connected by a wire.

[0010] The blocking member comprises a telescopic rod extending out of the discharge port, a trapezoidal blocking block is fixedly connected to the end of the telescopic rod, and a stirring rod is horizontally arranged on the telescopic rod located in the feed box.

[0011] The advantages of the present invention are that the structure is simple and reasonable, and the experiment of three-dimensional space target-oriented navigation tasks can be realized according to the living habits and movement characteristics of pigeons. Moreover, the guidance target can be flexibly switched between two-dimensional and three-dimensional, which meets the goal-oriented navigation experiment for animals with three-dimensional space movement ability. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of the present invention.

[0013] Figure 2 , Figure 3 yes Figure 1 Structural diagram of the target-oriented device.

[0014] Figure 4 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 yes Figure 1 Structural diagram of the automatic feeding device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0015] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0016] like Figure 1As shown, the three-dimensional target-oriented navigation experimental device suitable for pigeons of the present invention comprises an upper open barrel 2 with a target-oriented device 1 at the bottom. The upper open barrel 2 is used as a pigeon activity space. The shape is not limited. It can be a round, square or polygonal barrel. However, it must have a certain depth so that the pigeons can move freely and are not easy to fly out. A shelf 2.1 is horizontally arranged near the bottom wall of the barrel, and a through hole is opened on the shelf 2.1.

[0017] like Figure 2 As shown, the target guiding device 1 used in the present invention comprises a support 1.1 arranged on the bottom wall of the barrel and a lifting rod 1.2 vertically arranged on the support 1.1. The lifting rod 1.2 passes through a through hole opened on the shelf 2.1, and a table 1.3 with a diameter matching the through hole is horizontally arranged on the top of the lifting rod 1.2. When the lifting rod 1.2 falls, the table 1.3 can be stuck in the through hole, and its upper surface is flush with the upper surface of the shelf 2.1. Figure 3 As shown; a pressure sensor 1.4 is provided on the table 1.3 (the pressure sensor 1.4 can be embedded in the upper surface of the table 1.3), and the pressure sensor 1.4 is electrically connected to a buzzer provided on the support 1.1 and a microcontroller 1.5 equipped with a wireless transmitter.

[0018] An automatic feeding device 3 is arranged above the upper opening barrel 2. The automatic feeding device 3 of the present invention is controlled by the target-oriented device 1 through wireless communication. The specific structure is as follows: Figure 4 As shown: it includes a feed box 3.1 for containing pigeon feed, and a discharge port is opened at the bottom of the feed box 3.1; the lower end of the armature 3.3 of the push-pull electromagnet 3.2 placed vertically in the feed box 3.1 is fixedly connected with a blocking piece for opening and closing the discharge port; the blocking piece used in the present invention includes a telescopic rod 3.4 extending out of the discharge port at the bottom of the feed box 3.1, and a trapezoidal blocking block 3.5 is fixedly connected to the end of the telescopic rod 3.4, and stirring rods 3.6 are horizontally symmetrically arranged on the telescopic rod located in the feed box 3.1. The stirring rods 3.6 stir the feed when the armature 3.3 moves up and down to prevent the feed from falling due to blockage.

[0019] A microcontroller 3.7 for controlling the action of the push-pull electromagnet 3.2 is arranged on the side wall of the feed box 3.1. A wireless receiver (for receiving a signal from a wireless transmitter installed on the microcontroller 1.5 of the target guiding device 1) is installed on the microcontroller 3.7. A wire is used to connect the microcontroller 3.7 and the push-pull electromagnet 3.2 to control the attraction of the push-pull electromagnet 3.2. Figure 5 This is the closed state diagram of the discharge port. Figure 6 Open the state diagram for the outlet.

[0020] In order to accurately record the experimental conditions of the trained pigeons, the present invention uses Neuromotive TMThe video tracking system and the main control computer track and monitor the experimental process. The video tracking system includes a camera 4 (Point Grey, FMVU-03MTC-CS) and a collection device 5 (Cerebus Host PC, PN-7919). When in use, the camera 4 can be placed above the upper opening barrel 2. The camera 4 controlled by the microcontroller 1.5 of the target guidance device 1 is connected to the collection device 5 and the main control computer 6 through a data cable. The experimental conditions of the trained pigeons can be recorded in real time and in detail for later analysis.

[0021] When the experimental device of the present invention is used, firstly, the reward food required for the experiment is measured and placed in the feed box 3.1, and a small amount of food is evenly spread in the upper open barrel 2; the trained pigeon is placed in the upper open barrel 2, and then the switches of the automatic feeding device 3 and the target guidance device 1 are turned on, and the microcontroller 1.5 of the target guidance device 1 drives the buzzer to emit a "beep beep" prompt sound to prompt the start of the experiment, and at the same time transmits a signal to the acquisition device 5 in the video monitoring device, and the camera 4 starts to record the video, and at the same time, the video is transmitted in real time to the main control computer 6 for storage through the acquisition device 5.

[0022] The trained pigeons forage freely in the upper opening barrel 2, get familiar with the experimental environment, and learn the experimental tasks. Once the pigeons have learned the experimental tasks, generally 2-3 days later, the experimental device can be automatically operated according to the experimental plan, that is, in the experimental device, the pigeons first need to enter the table 1.3 of the target-guided device 1. Once the pressure sensor 1.4 detects the pigeons, it will send instructions to the automatic feeding device 3 through the microcontroller 1.5, and the microcontroller 3.7 installed on the automatic feeding device 3 will control the automatic feeding device to release food and reward the pigeons. After the pigeons leave the table 1.3 and consume the reward food, they need to enter the table 1.3 of the target-guided device 1 again to conduct the next experiment, and the cycle will be repeated until the entire experiment is completed.

[0023] The present invention adopts a height-adjustable lifting rod 1.2 in the target-guided device 1. When the lifting rod 1.2 is raised, target-guided navigation in three-dimensional space can be realized. When the lifting rod 1.2 falls and is flush with the upper surface of the shelf 2.1, target-guided navigation in two-dimensional space can be performed, and three-dimensional and two-dimensional can be flexibly switched. At the same time, the present invention adopts an automatic feeding device 3, which can control the feeding amount according to the size of the discharge port, greatly reducing human participation in the training process, improving training efficiency, and is simple, economical and easy to implement. Moreover, wireless communication is adopted between the target-guided device 1 and the automatic feeding device 3 of the present invention, so that the installation positions of the target-guided device 1 and the automatic feeding device 3 are not restricted, which is flexible and convenient.

Claims

1. A three-dimensional target-oriented navigation experimental device suitable for pigeons, characterized in that: It comprises a pigeon activity space with a target-guided device at the bottom, an automatic feeding device is arranged above the pigeon activity space, and the automatic feeding device is controlled by the target-guided device through wireless communication; a video monitoring device driven by the target-guided device is arranged above the pigeon activity space; The pigeon activity space is an upper open barrel with a certain depth, with a shelf horizontally arranged near the bottom wall of the barrel, and a through hole is opened on the shelf; the target guiding device includes a support arranged on the bottom wall of the barrel and a lifting rod vertically arranged on the support, the lifting rod passes through the through hole opened on the shelf, and a table with a diameter matching the through hole is horizontally arranged on the top of the lifting rod, and a pressure sensor is arranged on the table, and the pressure sensor is electrically connected to a buzzer arranged on the support and a microcontroller equipped with a wireless transmitter.

2. The three-dimensional target-oriented navigation experimental device suitable for pigeons according to claim 1, characterized in that: The video monitoring device includes a video tracking system and a main control computer. The video tracking system includes a camera and a video acquisition device. The camera controlled by the microcontroller of the target guidance device is connected to the video acquisition device and the main control computer through a data line.

3. The three-dimensional target-oriented navigation experimental device suitable for pigeons according to claim 1, characterized in that: The automatic feeding device includes a feed box, at the bottom of which a discharge port is provided; the lower end of the armature of a push-pull electromagnet longitudinally placed in the feed box is fixedly connected to a blocking member for opening and closing the discharge port; a microcontroller for controlling the action of the push-pull electromagnet is provided on the side wall of the feed box, a wireless receiver is installed on the microcontroller, and the microcontroller and the push-pull electromagnet are connected by a wire.

4. The three-dimensional target-oriented navigation experimental device suitable for pigeons according to claim 3, characterized in that: The blocking member comprises a telescopic rod extending out of the discharge port, a trapezoidal blocking block is fixedly connected to the end of the telescopic rod, and a stirring rod is horizontally arranged on the telescopic rod located in the feed box.

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