A novel food-delivery device for neurophysiological and neuropsychological studies in monkeys.
J Neurosci Methods
; 109(2): 129-35, 2001 Aug 30.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-11513947
ABSTRACT
Neurophysiological and neuropsychological studies in monkeys sometimes require an automated food-pellet dispenser. Commercially available dispensers typically sequester the pellet until delivery and, once delivered, the pellet's availability cannot be controlled. The custom-designed dispenser described here overcomes those two limitations. The device is composed of two separate units a feeder and an electronic controller. The feeder manipulates food pellets with actuators driven by air pressure and delivers them into a serving bowl. The controller's settings determine whether the monkey can retrieve a pellet from the bowl. If the experiment requires that the pellet be visible and within reach, but unavailable for retrieval, the controller enables a trap-door mechanism at the bottom of the bowl. Any motion near the serving bowl, such as that caused by the approach of a monkey's hand, will then trigger the opening of the trap door, which causes the pellet to fall into an enclosed pellet collector. This rapid pellet-removal mechanism can also be triggered by other computer-controlled contingencies. Two of these dispensers have been in operation in an applied laboratory setting for over 2 years.
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Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Haplorrinos
/
Métodos de Alimentação
/
Distribuidores Automáticos de Alimentos
/
Abrigo para Animais
/
Ração Animal
/
Neurofisiologia
/
Neuropsicologia
Tipo de estudo:
Prognostic_studies
Limite:
Animals
Idioma:
En
Revista:
J Neurosci Methods
Ano de publicação:
2001
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Estados Unidos