Smart Cage System for Multi-Animal Longevity Studies
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current smart cages are inadequate for long-term rodent longevity studies due to high labor requirements, limited capacity for multiple animal tracking, and lack of sensors to measure critical health parameters, leading to increased costs and stress on animals.
Innovation Solution
A smart cage system with multiple housing assemblies, a multi-object tracking software system, and a variety of sensors to monitor physiological parameters such as lifespan, muscle strength, and cognitive functions, allowing for continuous, automated data collection and reduced human intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual assays are used to measure multiple health parameters, then comprehensive health data can be obtained, but labor requirements and costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical assays with automated sensor-based monitoring systems. Multiple health parameters (activity, strength, endurance, memory, coordination, vision) are measured automatically using electronic sensors, cameras, and computational algorithms, eliminating the need for manual handling and measurement while maintaining comprehensive data collection.
Solution Approach 2:
The smart cage system integrates multiple assay functions into a single unified platform. The system simultaneously performs activity monitoring, strength testing, endurance assessment, memory evaluation, coordination analysis, and vision testing within one housing assembly, allowing comprehensive health assessment without requiring multiple separate manual procedures.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If multiple animals are housed together to reduce stress, then animal welfare improves, but tracking individual behavior and health parameters becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses computer vision algorithms and machine learning models as intermediaries to track individual animals within group housing. The system captures video data from multiple cameras and uses computational algorithms to automatically identify, track, and differentiate individual animals based on visual features, enabling precise individual monitoring without physical separation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates digital copies (virtual models) of each animal's behavior and physiological parameters through automated tracking. Multiple virtual representations of individual animals are generated from video data, allowing researchers to analyze individual behavior patterns, movement trajectories, and health metrics even when animals are housed together physically.
3Productivity
If automated tracking systems are implemented, then labor requirements decrease, but the ability to measure diverse health parameters is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple types of sensors and monitoring technologies within a single smart cage system. The integration includes activity sensors, strength measurement devices, endurance testing mechanisms, memory assessment tools, coordination analyzers, and vision testing equipment, all working together to provide comprehensive automated health parameter measurement across diverse physiological domains.
4Extent of automation
If current smart cages are used for short-term studies, then automated monitoring is achieved, but the system is incompatible with long-term longevity studies requiring high animal numbers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the monitoring system into modular, scalable components. Individual smart cage units can be independently configured and combined in various numbers to match study requirements. Each cage is a self-contained module with complete monitoring capabilities, allowing researchers to scale from small short-term studies to large long-term longevity studies by simply adding or removing cage units rather than requiring a completely different system.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a smart cage system for housing and assaying multiple vertebrate animals having at least one inner and outer housing assembly including at least one controller designed to monitor and record data from sensors, the at least one or more sensors operationally synchronized at least one or more of before, in real time, and after sensing an action, wherein data captured by each at least one or more sensors can be synchronized by way of at least one time measuring device. A multi object tracking software system is operationally coupled to at least one optical sensor by the at least one controller, designed to track individuals of the multiple vertebrate animals. At least the outer housing assembly includes at least one or more from a group of ports, slots, shelves, pockets, hooks, fasteners, and sleeves each designed to retain sensors and other elements.