IntelliCage for rats is a novel and proven approach for studying cognitive behavior of rats without handling by the experimenter. The system takes advantage of transponder technology for the individual recognition and treatment of animals.

IntelliCage for rats records and tests a wide range of behavioral abilities: exploration, approach/avoidance, spatial preference, spatial patrolling (including short-term spatial memory tasks), spatial avoidance, and even temporo-spatial learning. Individual rats are easily trained to work in a permanently assigned corner and can be subjected to long/lasting operant conditioning schedules such as
fixed ratio and DRL schedules.

Each IntelliCage for Rats unit allows simultaneous monitoring of up to 16 rats (according to swiss animal welfare regulations) depending on the task. Experimental and control  animals can be kept in the same or in a separate cages. The system is scaleable and can be set up in different configurations, such as horizontal layout or stackable into racks.

General features

• ability to monitor individual learning over short and long time periods including neural degeneration and regeneration
• opportunity to study learning behavior of rats without stress and in a social context
• fully automated screening of complex spatial and non-spatial learning procedures with online monitoring
• “intellectually enriched” environment can be provided, the degree of the challenge being variables
• significant reduction of repetitive and boring routine work for technicians and scientists
• standardization of procedures
• compatible with increasingly restrictive legislation on animal welfare
• user friendly: our software modules allow use of the system without behavioral know-how being necessary

Technical description