Automated Rodent Research Home Cage Monitoring System for Animal Welfare

PROJECT SUMMARY The for profit small business concernTricorder Array Technologies LLCwill developin partnership with the University of Alabama at BirminghamSIDECAReSensing and Integrating Data for Environmental Conditions in Animal ResearchThis device will automate collection of relevant data that will enhance consistency in animal models used to study human health treatment researchOur innovative device application is set to improve research animal care at the cage level on a massive costeffective scaleSIDECARewill be a wireless device that will collect data from a specific cage and communicate it to a databaseSensors in the device will isolate the cage environment and report collected dataData collected will include DateTimeRoomTemperatureHumidityLightMotion Detection and Sound from observations in the cageThe device will have embedded algorithms for real time interpretation of sensor dataThe data collected will upload from each device to a cloud based databasewhere additional algorithms will operate on this data and create timely reports and real time alerts to the animal research facility s animal care staff and or research PI as appropriateAimSelect and Validate Critical Components for SIDECAReMilestoneFinal selection of optimal SIDECARecomponents for cage monitoring and wireless communicationMilestoneenclosure integrated with components into a package compatible with exposure to animalsuniversal applicability to varied cage stylesand integration into cage processing workflowsAimIntegrate and Validate Proof of Concept of SIDECAReMilestoneImplementation of SIDECARefirmware for low power data collectionreductionand transmission for determination of specific indicatorsMilestoneSIDECARewireless communication system integrated with facility s WiFi network and animal management databaseMilestonePerform short termin field demonstration of SIDECAReMilestonePerform short termin field demonstration of SIDECARePROJECT NARRATIVE Tricorder Array Technologiesseeks NIH support to develop the novel tool SIDECAReSensing and Integrating Data for Environmental Conditions in Animal Researchwhich will improve animal care at research institutionsThis device will automate collection of relevant data that will enhance consistency in animal models used to study human health treatment researchOur innovative device application is set to improve research animal care at the cage level on a massive cost effective scale