CN114467796A

CN114467796A - Automatic behavior testing device

Info

Publication number: CN114467796A
Application number: CN202111525012.2A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 孟志强; 鲍进; 朱英杰; 刘畅; 周涛; 黄天文; 陈祖昕; 陈波; 周魁魁; 徐薇; 张淑雯
Original assignee: Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology of CAS
Current assignee: Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology of CAS
Priority date: 2021-12-14
Filing date: 2021-12-14
Publication date: 2022-05-13
Anticipated expiration: 2041-12-14
Also published as: WO2023109706A1; CN114467796B

Abstract

The application discloses automatic behavior testing arrangement relates to animal behavior survey field. The device comprises a fixed panel and a data acquisition module, wherein a plurality of drinking bottles which are placed in an inverted manner are arranged on the fixed panel, a counting component used for monitoring the drinking times of animals is arranged below each drinking bottle, the counting component comprises a metal bottle mouth and a metal ring piece, the metal bottle mouth is communicated with an inner cavity of the drinking bottle, the outer side surface of the metal bottle mouth is contacted with the metal ring piece, one side surface of the metal ring piece, which is deviated from the metal bottle mouth, is connected with the fixed panel through an insulating part, and the metal ring piece is also connected with the data acquisition module through a conducting wire; the data acquisition module is used for recording the times and time of drinking water by the animals according to the data transmitted by the metal ring piece conducting wire. The method is used for automatically detecting the drinking amount, drinking time and drinking times of the animals.

Description

Automatic behavior testing device

Technical Field

The application relates to the field of animal behavior determination, in particular to an automatic behavior testing device.

Background

The two-bottle test is a widely used behavioral test method, as the name implies, the test requires two identical water bottles, filled with different solutions, presented simultaneously to the thirsty animal (the positions of the two bottles alternate regularly), which will try the solutions in the two water bottles, and if one is preferred, drink the solution in it preferentially, by measuring the residual amount of the solution in the two water bottles over a certain time, thus detecting the preference of the animal for the different solutions. The behavior of depression, addiction and the like can be researched according to the characteristics of the solution contained in the bottle. For example, when two water bottles contain a sucrose solution and water, respectively, an animal will typically prefer to use a sucrose solution, whereas a depressed animal, an anogeusive animal, or an anorexic animal will not develop a preference for a sucrose solution.

The existing double-bottle test is mainly applied to the relevant research of small animals such as rodents, generally needs manual water bottle placement and solution weighing, and cannot automatically detect the drinking amount, drinking time, drinking frequency and the like of the animals. In large animals, there is also no associated automation.

Disclosure of Invention

The application provides an automatic behavior testing arrangement, sets up pressure sensor and counting assembly through the bottom at the drinking water bottle, has realized automated inspection animal's volume of drinking, drinking time and number of times.

In order to achieve the purpose, the application provides an automatic behavior testing device which comprises a fixed panel and a data acquisition module, wherein a plurality of drinking bottles which are placed in an inverted mode are arranged on the fixed panel, a counting part used for monitoring the drinking times of animals is arranged below each drinking bottle, the counting part comprises a metal bottle mouth and a metal ring piece, the metal bottle mouth is communicated with an inner cavity of each drinking bottle, the outer side face of the metal bottle mouth is in contact with the metal ring piece, one side face, deviating from the metal bottle mouth, of the metal ring piece is connected with the fixed panel through an insulating piece, and the metal ring piece is further connected with the data acquisition module through a conducting wire; the data acquisition module is used for recording the times and time of drinking water by the animals according to the data transmitted by the metal ring piece conducting wire.

Furthermore, a plurality of supports are arranged on the fixed panel, the supports correspond to the drinking bottles one by one, the drinking bottles are placed on the supports in an inverted mode, pressure sensors used for monitoring the pressure applied to the upper surfaces of the supports in real time are arranged on the supports, and the pressure sensors are electrically connected with the data acquisition module;

the data acquisition module is also used for receiving the pressure data transmitted by the pressure sensor in real time and converting the pressure data into water bottle weight data.

Furthermore, a through hole for the metal bottle mouth to pass through is formed in the support.

Further, the pressure sensor is a membrane pressure sensor.

Further, one side face, away from the metal bottle mouth, of the metal ring piece is embedded into the fixing panel through the rubber pad.

Furthermore, a clamping groove and/or a buckle capable of fixing the fixing panel on the cage body are/is arranged on the fixing panel.

Further, each drinking bottle is fixed on the fixing panel through a buckle.

Further, the number of the drinking bottles is two.

Compared with the prior art, the application has the following beneficial effects: the device can be applied to behavior test experiments of large animals, and is compatible with most of large animal cages. When the water bottle is more conveniently placed, the drinking times and time, drinking amount and residual solution amount of each bottle of solution by the animal can be automatically recorded. The automatic weighing device based on the film pressure sensor can monitor the weight of the water bottle in real time, and avoid loss and errors caused by pouring the solution into the measuring cylinder for weighing for many times. The drinking times and time data are automatically collected, and the data cannot be recorded by a manual method, so that the data which cannot be obtained before is provided, and the dimensionality of the data is enriched.

Drawings

In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present application or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly described below, it is obvious that the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present application, and for those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained according to the drawings without creative efforts.

Fig. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of an automated behavior testing apparatus according to the present application.

In the figure, 1-a first fastener, 2-a drinking bottle, 3-a second fastener, 4-a data connector, 5-a bracket, 6-a metal bottle mouth, 7-a metal ring piece, 8-a rubber pad, 9-a clamping groove and 10-a fixing panel.

Detailed Description

The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present application, and it is obvious that the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present application, and not all of the embodiments. All other embodiments, which can be derived by a person skilled in the art from the embodiments given herein without making any creative effort, shall fall within the protection scope of the present application.

In the description of the present application, it is to be understood that the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", and the like indicate orientations or positional relationships based on those shown in the drawings, and are only for convenience in describing the present application and simplifying the description, but do not indicate or imply that the referred device or element must have a particular orientation, be constructed in a particular orientation, and be operated, and thus should not be construed as limiting the present application.

In the description of the present application, it is to be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," and "connected" are to be construed broadly, e.g., as meaning either a fixed connection, a removable connection, or an integral connection; the specific meaning of the above terms in the present application can be understood in a specific case by those of ordinary skill in the art.

The terms "first", "second" and "first" are used for descriptive purposes only and are not to be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of the present application, "a plurality" means two or more unless otherwise specified.

Referring to fig. 1, the present application provides an automated behavior testing apparatus, which may be applied to the research related to large-scale experimental animals. The device comprises a fixed panel 10, a data acquisition module and a plurality of drinking bottles 2 placed in an inverted mode, wherein the number of the drinking bottles 2 is preferably two. The data acquisition module comprises a data connector 4 and data acquisition software, wherein the data connector 4 is fixed on the fixed panel 10.

The drinking bottle 2 may be provided on one side of the fixing panel 10 by the second fastener 3 as shown in fig. 1, or may be adhered or the like. The counting component used for monitoring the drinking times of the animals is arranged below each drinking bottle 2 and comprises a metal bottle mouth 6 and a metal ring piece 7, one end of the metal bottle mouth 6 penetrates through the bottle cap to be communicated with the inner cavity of the drinking bottle 2, namely, fluid in the drinking bottle 2 can flow out through the metal bottle mouth 6, and the outer side surface of the metal bottle mouth 6 is closely contacted with the metal ring piece 7. The metal ring piece 7 is a metal ring, the central axis of the metal ring is perpendicular to the axis of the metal bottle mouth 6, one side of the metal ring piece 7, far away from the metal bottle mouth 6, is embedded into the fixed panel through the rubber pad 8, and the metal ring piece 7 is further connected with the data connector 4 through a conducting wire.

The fixed panel 10 is provided with a plurality of supports 5 for placing drinking bottles 2, the supports 5 correspond to the drinking bottles 2 one by one, the drinking bottles 2 are placed on the supports 5 in an inverted mode, pressure sensors for monitoring the pressure on the upper surface of the supports 5 in real time are arranged on the supports 5, and the pressure sensors transmit data to the data connectors 4 through data lines. The pressure sensor is a film pressure sensor, and a through hole for the metal bottle mouth 6 to pass through is formed in the support 5. The lower part of the fixed panel 10 is provided with a clamping groove 9 matched with the cage, the left side and the right side of the upper part are provided with a first buckle 1 matched with the cage, and during an experiment, the first buckle 1 and the clamping groove 9 can be fixed with the cage.

The data acquisition software can record the drinking times and time of the animals according to the data transmitted by the wires of the metal ring pieces 7; and can also convert pressure data received in real time into water bottle weight data. The conversion formula between the weight and the pressure of the water bottle is obtained by performing pre-calibration on water bottles with different weights.

The working principle of the application is as follows: the drinking bottle 2 is placed on the support 5 in an inverted mode, the pressure sensor on the support 5 can monitor the pressure on the upper surface of the support 5 in real time, pressure transmission data are transmitted to the data connector 4 through the data line, and the data acquisition software receives the pressure data and then converts the pressure data into weight data of the drinking bottle 2.

The metal bottle mouth 6 of the drinking bottle 2 is closely contacted with a metal ring, and the metal ring is connected with a conducting wire and is embedded into the water bottle fixing panel through a rubber pad 8. Therefore, metal bottle mouth 6 is insulating with fixed panel 10, and when the animal licks metal bottle mouth 6, the surperficial electric capacity of bottle mouth has changed, and the wire that can pass through the metal ring of the change of this kind of electric capacity is carried to data connector 4, recycles data acquisition software real-time recording animal number of times of drinking water.

The above is only an embodiment of the present application, but the scope of the present application is not limited thereto, and any changes or substitutions within the technical scope of the present disclosure should be covered by the scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application shall be subject to the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An automatic behavior testing device is characterized by comprising a fixed panel and a data acquisition module, wherein a plurality of drinking bottles which are placed in an inverted mode are arranged on the fixed panel, a counting component used for monitoring the drinking times of animals is arranged below each drinking bottle, each counting component comprises a metal bottle mouth and a metal ring piece, the metal bottle mouths are communicated with inner cavities of the drinking bottles, the outer side faces of the metal bottle mouths are in contact with the metal ring pieces, one side face, away from the metal bottle mouths, of each metal ring piece is connected with the fixed panel through an insulating piece, and the metal ring pieces are further connected with the data acquisition module through conducting wires; the data acquisition module is used for recording the times and time of drinking water by the animals according to the data transmitted by the metal ring piece conducting wire.

2. The automated behavior testing device according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of brackets are arranged on the fixed panel, the brackets correspond to the drinking bottles one by one, the drinking bottles are placed on the brackets in an inverted manner, pressure sensors for monitoring the pressure on the upper surfaces of the brackets in real time are arranged on the brackets, and the pressure sensors are electrically connected with the data acquisition module;

3. The automated behavior testing device according to claim 2, wherein the bracket is provided with a through hole for the metal bottle mouth to pass through.

4. An automated behavioral testing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the pressure sensor is a membrane pressure sensor.

5. The automated behavior testing device of claim 1, wherein the insulator is a rubber pad, and a side of the metal ring facing away from the metal bottle mouth is embedded in the fixing panel through the rubber pad.

6. An automated behavior testing device according to claim 1, wherein the fixing panel is provided with a slot and/or a buckle for fixing the fixing panel on the cage body.

7. An automated behavioural testing device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein each of said drinking bottles is secured to a fixed panel by a snap fit.

8. The automated behavior testing device of claim 1, wherein the number of drinking bottles is two.