Vivarium Device Remote Monitoring via Web Server Mediator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems for monitoring and controlling laboratory animal cages and racks lack a global, easy-to-access, reliable method for continuous and remote management of environmental conditions, limiting the ability to maintain a consistent environment.
Innovation Solution
A system that allows remote monitoring and control of vivarium devices via a computer web browser or mobile phone application, using electronic animal housing devices connected to the internet via ethernet or wireless technology, which collects data on parameters like temperature, humidity, and blower speed, and enables centralized alarms, data storage, and automatic reporting to maintain a consistent environment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If electronic animal housing devices are connected to the internet via ethernet or wireless technology for remote monitoring, then global accessibility and ease of operation are improved, but device complexity and potential reliability issues increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a web server as an intermediary component that receives data from electronic animal housing devices and makes it accessible through web browsers. This mediator layer simplifies the interface for remote users while managing the complexity of data collection and presentation centrally, allowing global accessibility without requiring complex client-side implementations at each device.
2Reliability
If continuous real-time data collection is implemented for temperature, humidity, and blower speed, then environmental consistency and reliability are improved, but energy consumption and data processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements continuous monitoring of environmental parameters (temperature, humidity, blower speed) and feeds this data back to the web server for analysis. This feedback mechanism ensures environmental consistency by maintaining real-time awareness of conditions, while the centralized server handles the energy-intensive data processing rather than individual devices, optimizing energy distribution.
3Reliability
If centralized alarm and automatic reporting systems are implemented, then monitoring reliability is improved, but system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple monitoring functions (data collection, analysis, alarm generation, and reporting) into a centralized web server system. This merging of functions improves reliability by ensuring consistent monitoring and response protocols, while the web-based architecture keeps the control system accessible and manageable without requiring complex distributed control infrastructure at each device.
Data Source
AI summary
A system to facilitate the user to remotely monitor and/or control vivarium devices via a computer web browser or mobile phone application. Monitored electronic animal housing devices push and pull data over the internet for storage at a database and access through a web application interface. Statistics and reports can be automatically generated directed to the collected data to aid in maintaining a consistent environment within the cage system.