Hardware

Computer-controlled dog treat dispenser

When performing canine operant conditioning studies, the delivery of the reward can be a limiting factor of the study. While there are a few commercially available options for automatically delivering rewards, they generally require manual input, such as using a remote control, in accordance with the experiment script.

openEyeTrack - An open source high-speed eyetracker

Vision is one of the primary senses, and tracking eye gaze can offer insight into the cues that affect decision-making behavior. Thus, to study decision-making and other cognitive processes, it is fundamentally necessary to track eye position accurately.

PocketPCR-Pocket size USB powered PCR Thermo Cycler

The PocketPCR is a so called thermocycler used to activate biological reactions. To do so the device raises and lowers the temperature of the liquid in the small tubes. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a method widely used in molecular biology to make copies of a specific DNA segment.

KineMouse Wheel

Who says you can’t reinvent the wheel?! This running wheel for head-fixed mice allows 3D reconstruction of body kinematics using a single camera and DeepLabCut (or similar) software. A lightweight, transparent polycarbonate floor and a mirror mounted on the inside allow two views to be captured simultaneously.

SignalBuddy

SignalBuddy is an easy-to-make, easy-to-use signal generator for scientific applications. Making friends is hard, but making SignalBuddy is easy. All you need is an Arduino Uno! SignalBuddy replaces more complicated and (much) more expensive signal generators in laboratory settings where one millisecond resolution is sufficient.

Open Source Tools for Temporally Controlled Rodent Behavior Suitable for Electrophysiology and Optogenetic Manipulations

Understanding how the brain controls behavior requires observing and manipulating neural activity in awake behaving animals. Neuronal firing is timed at millisecond precision. Therefore, to decipher temporal coding, it is necessary to monitor and control animal behavior at the same level of temporal accuracy.

EmotiBit

EmotiBit is a wearable sensor to capture high-quality emotional, physiological, and movement data from just about anywhere on the body. Project Author(s) Sean Montgomery Project Links https://www.emotibit.com/ Project Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbcL2jzyWj4&ab_channel=EmotiBit

Mouse VR

Harvey Lab miniaturized mouse VR rig for head-fixed virtual navigation and decision-making tasks. The VR setup is comprised of several independent assemblies: The screen assembly: a laser projector projects onto a parabolic screen surrounding the mouse.

culture_shock

Culture Shock is an open-source electroporator that was developed through internet based collaboration, starting on the DIYbio Google Group. It is an evolution on the traditional capacitive discharge circuit topology, instead using pulsed induction to enable a programmable waveform as well as reduce the size, weight, and cost of the equipment.

PiDose

PiDose is an open-source tool for scientists performing drug administration experiments with mice. It allows for automated daily oral dosing of mice over long time periods (weeks to months) without the need for experimenter interaction and handling.