IMPLANTABLE IDENTIFICATION DEVICE FOR SMALL ANIMALS

THIS PROJECT WILL DEVELOP A UNIQUE ANIMAL IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM CONSISTING OF A PASSIVE IMPLANTABLE AND A HAND-HELD ACTIVE SENSOR DEVICE. PHASE I DEVELOPMENT WILL FOCUS ON AN INITIAL INVESTIGATION OF THE IMPLANTABLE'S CHARACTERISTICS WITH A SECONDARY EFFORT TO DESIGN THE SENSOR CIRCUITRY. SMALL RATS WILL BE USED TO STUDY THE ACUTE EFFECTS OF TAG PLACEMENT AND TO ASCERTAIN THE PROBABLE MIGRATION DYNAMICS OF THE TAGS WHEN IMPLANTED FOR THE LONG TERM. THE PHASE II EFFORT WILL EXPAND PRELIMINARY ANIMAL INVESTIGATIONS TO INCLUDE TOXICITY STUDIES. THE PHASE II IMPLANTABLE AND SENSOR WILL PERMIT THE IDENTIFICATION OF SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSAND ANIMALS EVEN WHILE IN THEIR CAGES. THE SENSOR WILL CONTAIN A SMALL COMPUTER THAT WILL ENABLE A RESEARCH LABORATORY TO RANDOMLY LOG IN ANIMALS OR SPECIFICALLY SEARCH FOR A PARTICULAR ANIMAL'S ID TAG. COLLECTED DATA CAN BE TRANSFERRED TO A LARGER COMPUTER FOR MORE DETAILED ANALYSIS.