Activity Test Systems

Photobeam Activity System – Home Cage

Accurate measurement & tracking for animal activity studies

SDI’s Photobeam Activity System – Home Cage (PAS-HC) is designed for home cage activity testing using a standard transparent plastic cage. Because our system uses a lab’s existing acrylic cages, the PAS-Home Cage system is affordable and flexible. The SDI PAS-Home Cage System uses a 4x8 photobeam configuration to track the animal’s locomotor movement. It can be configured with an optional rearing frame. System size is adaptable from 1 test station to a maximum of 48 test stations. When the rearing frame option is implemented, the maximum number of stations is reduced to 24. Note: It is possible to add one more PAS Distribution Box to double the number of configurable test station.

The photobeam activity systems software records the number of beam interruptions caused by the animal’s locomotor movement. Beam breaks are automatically categorized as "ambulations" or "fine movements". All locomotor activity measurements are based on actual distance moved, not duration – no calibrations are necessary.

The PAS-HC software utilizes the total beam pattern to calculate the centroid position of the animal. While other photobeam activity systems only record whether the test subject is moving or not, PAS-HC uses a photobeam matrix to record precise locations and movements within Home Cage’s 32 zones, with Real-Time data updates. Beam scanning speed is conveniently adjustable up to 100 times per second via PAS-HC software.

PAS-HC stores all details relating to a Session in a Microsoft Access database.  You can use a single database to store data from multiple sessions, from the same experiment.  This is useful if you are running the same animals through multiple tests, or running several groups of animals through the same tests.  Having all the related data together makes aggregation and analysis significantly more convenient. Among the benefits of the integration between PAS-HC and the popular and widely-used MS Office database system are: One Touch Exporting to Stats Packages, Data Kept Together, Clearly Identified Columns, Powerful Query Functions, Powerful Reporting Functions, and Seamless Integration with MS Excel.

PAS-HC uses standard Ethernet cables, color-coded Yellow and Blue, along with color-coded frame and contact box connections, so there is no confusion and no mistakes connecting PAS Equipment properly.

Photobeam Activity System - Home Cage System Features

• Convenient, menu-based software to track, store, and report animal activity
• Beam interruptions are recorded as "ambulations" and "fine movements"
• Rearing option
• Adjustable, Open Field Central and Peripheral areas – reanalyze data with new       activity ‘zones’
• Work with data in a database and/or comma separated format
• “PATHVIEW™” replay for pattern analysis – every event available in time stamped       format
• Simple cage exchange eliminates cross contamination
• CE compliant, FDA CFR Part 11 compliance option

Photobeam Activity System - Home Cage System Components

• PAS-Home Cage frame with photobeams
• Adjustable vertical rods for frame height
• PAS-Home Cage photobeam application software
• PAS Distribution Box
• PC interface board
• Cables & connectors
• User manual

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