Rodent Behavior Enclosure with Opaque Walls and Red Transparent Base
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for recording animal behavior, such as using conventional videography equipment, are time-consuming and often result in poor video quality due to sub-optimal lighting and camera setup, making data interpretation difficult, and can be disrupted by environmental factors like external lighting and nearby rodents.
Innovation Solution
A device with enclosed chambers made of opaque materials, equipped with image capture devices and red or near-infrared lighting to minimize distractions, and a container with corrals made of transparent material to isolate rodents, allowing for undisturbed observation and recording of behavior using image capture devices positioned above or below the container.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional videography equipment is used to record animal behavior, then the recording process can be performed with simple equipment setup, but the video quality is poor and data interpretation is difficult due to sub-optimal lighting and camera setup
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the recording environment into controlled segments: opaque chamber walls isolate the testing area from external distractions, while red or near-infrared lighting creates a controlled illumination zone that rodents cannot see. This segmentation allows optimal camera positioning and lighting without disturbing the animals.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces red or near-infrared lighting as an intermediary that bridges the need for visible illumination (for camera recording) and rodent invisibility (to avoid distraction). This intermediary lighting enables high-quality video recording without the rodents perceiving the light source.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the enclosure is open or uses transparent materials, then environmental monitoring is easier, but external lighting and nearby rodents disrupt the behavior being studied
Solution Approach 1:
The chamber uses opaque materials for walls to block external visual distractions, while the base remains transparent to allow observation from below. This local differentiation of material properties provides both isolation from distractions and ease of observation without requiring the entire enclosure to be transparent.
Solution Approach 2:
The system shifts the observation dimension from horizontal (side viewing through transparent walls) to vertical (downward viewing through transparent base). This dimensional change allows observation while maintaining opaque wall enclosures that block external distractions.
3Illumination intensity
If standard lighting is used during recording, then the video capture is sufficient, but rodents can see the lighting which disrupts their natural behavior
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the wavelength parameter of lighting from visible spectrum to red or near-infrared spectrum. This parameter change allows the lighting to be visible to cameras while remaining invisible to rodents, thereby maintaining behavioral accuracy while enabling sufficient illumination for recording.
Data Source
AI summary
A device and method for detecting and recording animal behavior is provided. The device includes an enclosure having first and second chambers, each of the chambers having exterior panels formed of an opaque material, at least one image capture device disposed in each of the first and second chambers, the at least one image capture device arranged to capture behavior data of one or more freely roaming rodents, and a first container insertable into one of the first and second containers and positioned below a respective image capture device, the container having one or more corrals into which one or more rodents are housed during testing, the container being formed of a transparent material. In some embodiments, the first container is formed of a red transparent material, the one or more rodents being unable to see through the red transparent material.