A container is attached to a lightweight cable, a counterbalance, and a ring. The cable is made of ultra-flexible wire series that are designed for continuous flexing applications such as data processing, mercury thermostats, magnetic memory drums, rotation servo platforms, and robotics. The counterbalance releases weighted pressure on the animal. The ring can slide on the rail. The container-cable assembly is available in two sizes:
(a) 30 x 40 mm (1.2 x 1.6 inches)
(b) 27 x 27 mm (1.1 x 1.1 inches)
The slip ring cable contains two ultra-thin wires that are placed inside of a 1.5-mm (0.06") flexible spring to protect them from the animal bites. The cable isused to connect the power source located outside of the animal cage with the device located inside of container-cable assembly via a slip ring.
A cage insert consists of a perforated aluminum plate that supports an aluminum rail via a bearing. The whole assembly can be placed at the top of a standard mouse cage.
A Python script for the streamlined analysis of sleep data that includes real-time processing of electroencephalogram (EEG) and electromyogram (EMG) signals that is compatible with commercial sleep-recording software that supports user datagram protocol (UDP) communication. The script allows EEG/EMG data acquisition, automated threshold calculation for real-time determination of sleep stages, sleep staging and EEG power spectrum analysis. It also allows data storage in the format that facilitates further analysis of the sleep pattern in mice. See additional details of the software at the following link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2215016122001911
