Cage Design - Measuring Brain Activity

This team works to develop a flexible, acrylic, live animal (rat) caging system and wire tether support system to enable measurement of EEGs (brain electrical activity) during epileptic seizures.

Instructor

Description

Continuous (24hr/7days) low noise EEG measurements are necessary to capture and evaluate the onset and course of epilepsy and seizure events in animal experiments. Standard commercially available caging systems contain metallic components, and do not enable continuous wired connection between the animal and EEG amplifier. The metallic components couple to RF and EM environmental noise that obscure EEG recordings. This project aims to develop a flexible, acrylic, live animal (rat) caging system and lead-out wire tether support system to enable measurement of EEGs during epileptic seizures. The cage design will be implemented using glue-less joinery of laser cut acrylic sheets to enable on-site, fastener-less assembly of a robust cage meant for chronic individual housing of an unconstrained rat. Specifically, the project aims to 1) develop the robust, laser-cut acrylic cage, 2) develop the anti-tension cable tethering system.

  • Biotechnology
  • Nanomaterial

Relevant Technologies

2D laser cutter, SLS 3D printer, low noise bioelectric measurements, mechanical supports

Prerequisites

  • CAD
  • Mechanical design/modeling (FEM)
  • Mechanics, Electronic Instrumentation