Objective:
At HeRo Lab, I spearheaded the development of an innovative autonomous mouse tester designed to facilitate pharmaceutical agent testing. This initiative was driven by the need to study dynamic allodynia—a condition where light touches cause pain, observable in humans and mice. The goal was to revolutionize the research process by automating mice testing for this condition, streamlining the research, and opening avenues for commercial application.
Initial Design:
Building on the concept of a previous one-channel mouse sorter, our initial design featured a dual-environment setup with a brush stroking at random intervals in the dark side. Mice, which prefer darkness but suffer from allodynia, were expected to move towards the light side in response to the brush. This behavior was monitored using IR sensors. Despite its innovative approach, this design was complex and posed manufacturing challenges.
Design Improvement Efforts:
To overcome these challenges, we developed a five-channel prototype using acrylic sheets for the wire mesh, chosen for their compatibility with laser cutting. However, this design was inefficient in terms of material utilization, resulting in a cumbersome wire mesh holder.
Current Prototype:
Our current prototype marks a significant improvement. We replaced the acrylic sheets with aluminum extrusions, leading to a lighter and more robust design. This change enabled us to expand to a six-channel mouse sorter, increasing the testing capacity. The system, powered by an Arduino Mega, integrates a 12V Motor with CPR Encoder and IR Sensors to control the brush's movement. We also applied for a patent, however, due to demand and the lack of spots, weren’t accepted. Despite initial setbacks in the patent application, we are in the process of reapplication.
On-Hold Status:
Unfortunately, various circumstances led to the project being temporarily placed on hold.