Programmable electronic maze for use in the assessment of animal behavior
First Claim
1. A dynamic maze, comprising:
- at least one removable obstacle wherein the obstacle is under the control of a programmable system that configures the maze by inserting or removing the obstacle into the maze.
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Abstract
A system and method for studying a test subject includes monitoring the test subject as it traverses through a programmable maze. The test subject may be under the influence of experimental drugs or genetic manipulation. The dynamic maze can be changed automatically or manually to test the abilities of the test subject. The dynamic maze comprises of a starting point, an ending point, and an electronically programmable floor capable of constructing various obstacles and passageways. The programmable floor may be programmed by a human user using an interface, or it may be programmed by an automated control system that programs the maze in accordance with the ability of the test subject to traverse the maze. Various devices are incorporated with the use of the maze to monitor the activities and welfare of the test subject.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. A dynamic maze, comprising:
at least one removable obstacle wherein the obstacle is under the control of a programmable system that configures the maze by inserting or removing the obstacle into the maze. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A dynamic maze, comprising:
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an enclosure for holding a test subject; and
a maze having at least one removable obstacle wherein the obstacle is under the control of a programmable system that configures the maze by inserting or removing the obstacle into the maze. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A dynamic maze, comprising:
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an enclosure for holding a test subject;
a maze having at least one removable obstacle wherein the obstacle is under the control of a programmable system that configures the maze by inserting or removing the obstacle into the maze; and
a controller having a logic system configured to control the design of the maze without manual input from a user.
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13. A dynamic maze for studying a test subject, comprising:
a programmable flooring having a plurality of floor plates such that each floor plate is capable of being a reward or punishment to the test subject traversing the maze. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. A dynamic maze, comprising:
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at least one removable obstacle wherein the obstacle is under the control of a programmable system that configures the maze by inserting or removing the obstacle into the maze; and
a controller having a logic system configured to control the design of the maze. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of re-configuring a maze, comprising:
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receiving data from a test subject in the maze; and
re-configuring the design of the maze based on the data without intervention from a user. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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29. A method of assessing the ability of a test subject to solve a maze, comprising:
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delivering rewarding and noxious stimulus to the test subject depending on the path taken by the test subject in the maze; and
re-configuring the maze without user intervention based on the ability of the test subject to traverse through the maze.
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30. A method to assess the ability of an animal to solve mazes of differing complexities, comprising:
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recording the ability of the test subject to traverse through the maze; and
re-configuring the maze without user intervention to various levels of complexity based on the ability of the test subjects to traverse the maze.
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31. A dynamic maze, comprising:
at least one obstacle wherein the obstacle is under the control of a programmable system that configures the maze by inserting or removing the obstacle into the maze such that the maze rapidly re-configures for measurement of different behavioral responses of a test subject. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
Specification