Device and method of animal reward
The invention describes an automated method, device and system for both husbandry and study purposes of animals by providing a heat reward for specific behavior. Embodiments include maintaining the cage temperature at a normal, comfortable temperature for the animals, such as mice, using radiant heat rather than conducted heat to provide the reward, using home cages for the animals, detecting the behavior fully automated, operating in animal darkness, and using cages that are free of electrical penetrations. Some embodiments have one animal in a cage. Some embodiments have or support multiple animals in a cage and include methods to detect automatically identify animals, locate animals in the cage and associate a behavior and reward for a specific animal. Some embodiments place all sensors and radiant heat sources outside the cage, or use infrared sources for both heating and for IR camera lighting.
1. A method for rewarding behavior of a first animal in a primary cage comprising the automated steps of:
(a) controlling the ambient air temperature inside the primary cage to within a normal living temperature wherein the normal living temperature is the average living temperature for first animal;
(b) identifying a first behavior of the first animal;
(c) uniquely identifying the first animal with respect to any other animals, at a first location, in the primary cage;
(d) powering a first set of directed heat sources external to the cage, wherein the radiation from the first set of directed heat sources is directed to the first location in the primary cage such that the radiation from the first set of directed heat sources is not directed to the location of any other animals in the primary cage;
(e) tracking in real-time a changed location of the first animal to a second location in the primary cage;
(f) depowering the first set of directed heat sources and powering a second set of directed heat sources, external to the cage, wherein the radiation from the second set of directed heat sources is directed to the second location in the primary cage, and wherein the first and second set of directed heat sources are not the same set;
(g) depowering both the first set and second set of directed heat sources after a predetermined time following the start of step (d).
2. The method of claim 1 wherein:
(h) the ambient air temperature of the primary cage is maintained within the normal living temperature for the first animal during steps (d), (e) and (f).
3. The method of claim 1 comprising the additional steps of:
(i) detecting a second behavior of the first animal;
(j) depowering both the first set and second set of directed heat sources responsive to the detecting a second behavior;
wherein steps (i) and (j) are performed between steps (f) and (g).
4. The method of claim 1 wherein:
step (d) is performed responsive to the first behavior identified in step (b).
5. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the primary cage is free of electrical penetrations.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the primary cage is free of a source of conducted heat.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein:
step (e) is performed, at least in part, by an infrared (IR) sensitive video camera and wherein at least some of the IR light used to illuminate the cage interior for use by the IR sensitive video camera is provided by at least some of the directed heat sources in the first or second set of directed heat sources.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein:
step (e) is performed, at least in part, by powering the first or second set of directed heat sources with less power than used for steps (d) and (f).
9. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the first animal is not rewarded using conducted heat.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the first animal is a rodent.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the first animal is not removed from its primary cage for repetitive executions of the method during a time interval of one month.
12. An automated system implementing the method of claim 1 .
13. A device for the purpose of automatically rewarding a predetermined behavior of an animal comprising:
an animal cage, wherein the animal cage is the primary cage for the animal, wherein the animal cage is free of electrical penetrations; and wherein the temperature in the cage for the animal is maintained within or below the thermoneutral zone for the animal;
a first animal behavior sensor, located outside the animal cage, responsive to electromagnetic radiation or an audio transmission, transmitted through the cage, configured to identify the predetermined animal behavior of an animal in the animal cage;
a set of radiant heat sources wherein the radiation of the set is directed into a first portion of the cage such that a second portion of the cage receives no radiation from the set;
a controller configured to power and depower the set of directed heat sources responsive to the animal behavior sensor,
wherein the device is free of a source of conducted heat for rewarding the animal.
14. The device of claim 13 wherein:
the temperature in the cage for the animal is maintained within the thermoneutral zone for the animal.
15. A device for the purpose of automatically rewarding a first predetermined behavior of an animal comprising:
an animal cage, wherein the animal cage is the primary cage for the animal, wherein the animal cage is free of electrical penetrations;
an animal identification (ID) sensor, located outside the animal cage, responsive to electromagnetic radiation or an audio transmission, transmitted through the cage, configured to uniquely identify the animal in the animal cage with respect to other animals in the animal cage;
a first animal behavior sensor, located outside the animal cage, responsive to electromagnetic radiation or an audio transmission, transmitted through the cage, configured to identify the first predetermined animal behavior of an animal in the animal cage;
a first animal location sensor located outside the animal cage, responsive to electromagnetic radiation or an audio transmission, transmitted through the cage, configured to identify a first location of an animal in the animal cage;
a second animal location sensor located outside the animal cage, responsive to electromagnetic radiation or an audio transmission, transmitted through the cage, configured to identify a second location distinct from the first location, of an animal in the animal cage;
a first set of directed heat sources wherein the radiation of the first set is directed to the first location;
a second set of directed heat sources wherein the radiation of the second set is directed to the second location, and wherein the first and second sets are not the same;
a controller configured to power and depower the first and second set of directed heat sources responsive to the animal ID sensor, the first animal behavior sensor, the first animal location sensor and the second animal location sensor; and
wherein the device is free of a source of conducted heat for rewarding the animal.
16. The device of claim 15 wherein:
the controller is further configured to power and depower the first and second set of directed heat sources responsive to the animal ID sensor identifying a first animal, the first animal behavior sensor identifying the first animal behavior of the first animal, the first animal location sensor identifying the first animal at the first location, and the second animal location sensor identifying the first animal at the second location.
17. The device of claim 15 further comprising:
a second animal behavior sensor, located outside the animal cage, responsive to electromagnetic radiation or an audio transmission, transmitted through the cage, configured to identify a predetermined second animal behavior, distinct from the first animal behavior, of an animal in the animal cage; and
the controller is further configured to power and depower the first and second set of directed heat sources responsive to the animal ID sensor identifying a first animal, the first animal behavior sensor identifying the first animal behavior of the first animal, the second animal behavior sensor identifying the second animal behavior of the first animal, the first animal location sensor identifying the first animal at the first location, and the second animal location sensor identifying the first animal at the second location.
18. The device of claim 15 wherein:
the animal cage is free of visible light.
19. The device of claim 15 wherein:
the controller is further configured to perform its responsive powering and depowering when the animal cage contains at least two animals.
20. The device of claim 15 wherein:
the controller is further configured to perform its responsive powering and depowering when the animal cage contains at least three animals.