New device for laboratory animal telemetry

Kurzfassung

A new implantable telemetry system for monitoring laboratory animals has been patented and developed by a research centre based in Barcelona (Spain). The device facilitates long term studies with no restriction on positioning. Partners to further develop the device and/or to establish commercial agreements along with technical cooperation are sought.

Details

Monitoring physiological parameters of animals tested in laboratory is relevant in many kinds of research projects. There are several implantable devices for use in research with animals with different purposes such as muscle stimulation, drug delivery and monitoring of biological parameters. Most of them use radio frequency energy for transmitting both data and power. Usually, a small battery inside the implant provides power to the system. However, this also limits the implants' shelf life. There are systems that allow powering the implant with a external supply. However, in these inventions the transference of energy is made almost point by point and monitoring becomes extremely restrained to small areas, restricting positioning and orientation of the tested animal. The present technology consists on a system that generates a uniform magnetic field in areas as large as needed, allowing the monitored animal to move freely in the cage.

The developed technology is a modular system that powers electronic implants through magnetic fields. The equipment comprises one or more implantable sensors that measure physiological variables, a microcontroller, a RF transmitter, a parallel resonant tank circuit and a temporary energy storage module. The system that provides energy through the magnetic field is housed below the animal's cage. Since the system is modular, the size of the system can be enlarged to fit the whole surface of the cage. This new technology makes feasible to carry out long term studies (in which the use of batteries are discarded), while the animal moves freely in its cage without restrictions. The animal can also be removed from the magnetic field for limited periods of time without loosing monitoring data.

The research centre is looking for partners to further develop the device and/or to establish commercial agreements along with technical cooperation.

Innovative Aspects:
- Measurement, transmission and processing of physiological data of an animal moving freely in its cage for long periods of time.
- No restrictions on positioning and orientation.
- The animal can develop its habitual physical activity without changes that affect its development, behavior and, as a consequence, the data obtained.
- No battery required. The energy storage module of the implant allows to work with the animal outside the cage for a certain period of time.
- Small size. The implant can be inserted in the abdominal cavity of small rodents.