Document Type
Thesis
Date of Award
5-31-1988
Degree Name
Master of Science in Electrical Engineering - (M.S.)
Department
Electrical Engineering
First Advisor
Stanley S. Reisman
Second Advisor
Peter Engler
Third Advisor
W. H. Warren Ball
Fourth Advisor
W. H. Warren Ball
Abstract
An auto-feeding system based on the IBM-XT microcomputer has been designed for use in the anti-obesity research program in the Pharmacology Department at Hoffmann-La Roche Inc. By using this system, experimental rats can be automatically fed, some which have been given anti-obesity drugs and some which have not. The system can also collect data, such as eating times and food intake, which are used for studying the rat's eating behavior.
The system is designed to control thirty six cages with one experimental rat in each cage and it performs three functions:
1 ) To automatically dispense a preset quantity of food, either when the food left in the food cup falls below a minimum value or at a set interval of time.
2 ) To collect ongoing data such as eating frequency, quantity of food in the cups and quantity of food delivered.
3 ) To perform basic data analysis to show the rat's eating patterns and display the data using tables and bar graphs.
The system consists of three sections: an IBM/XT microcomputer, external devices and electronic interface. The external devices of the system are constructed with the specially designed cage assembles, motor driven feeders, photo sensor pairs, position switches and electronic balances. The system is supported by electronic circuits which interface to the IBM-XT microcomputer. The electronic interfaces were designed and built by the author. The system is also equipped with a software package written in Quick Basic (a compiler BASIC) for performing experiments, testing the system and analyzing the collected data.
Recommended Citation
Gui, Binghong, "IBM/XT-based automatic monitoring instrumentation system for eating behavior studies in rats" (1988). Theses. 3083.
https://digitalcommons.njit.edu/theses/3083
