Abstract: Methods of measuring gut transit time in animals are presented. Steps include fasting an animal, then feeding it a food containing a fluorescent dye, and then monitoring bedding for fluorescent droppings by using an ultraviolet (UV) fluorescent excitation light that is in the visible range of the animal, and thus is perceived by the animal as daylight, while turning off human-visible white light so that a camera may record UV emissions without faint emission light being burned out by human-visible light. Such methods are fully automatic with continual monitoring in the home-cage of the animal. Animals may be multi-housed with automated animal-ID. A single camera may be used to observe fluorescent emission light, animal activity under white light, and animal activity under infrared (IR) light. The method may be repeated to create a measurement sequence to determine matching to a disease model.

Abstract: A wireless, sterilizable scale comprising a moving module, on which an animal sits or explores, and a fixed module that measures the weight of the animal on the moving module. The fixed module comprises a compliant membrane or gasket, through which the weight of the moving modules and animal is mechanically coupled. The fixed module comprises three load cells arranged in a triangle so as to support the moving module, through the membrane, such that its tilt is limited. The fixed module is sealed by the membrane and comprises the load cells, batteries and electronics. The fixed module, including an internal moving platform, may be chemically sterilized. The moving module may be sterilized using heat sterilization. IR communication transmits a series of weight values at two different data rates. The scale may be in a sterile cage free of electrical penetrations. A system comprises a vivarium comprising such cages.

Abstract: A communicating sterile scale is described suitable for automated use in animal cages. An upper module provides a weighing platform, electronics, upward facing wireless communication elements, a protecting skirt, and interface to a combined weight-bearing and electrical penetration element. A lower module provides a case, internal electronics, load cell, power source, sterile-sealed flexible complaint membrane and a combined weight bearing and electrical penetration element through the membrane. The upper and lower modules are easily separable for sterilization by immersion in a sterilizing fluid. The power source in the case may be charged through same electrical penetrating element. The membrane comprises a perimeter that is attached and sealed to the case, a penetration area penetrated by the rigid weight-bearing element, and an isolating compliance area. The skirt on upper module protects detritus from entering from below onto the membrane, while providing open-air movement.

Abstract: A sterile scale is described suitable for automated use in animal cages. A case is covered by a flexible membrane that provides both sealing against pathogens and mechanical compliance for transfer of weight on an above weighing platform through a single sealed penetration in the membrane to a load cell in the case. The membrane comprises a perimeter that is attached and sealed to the case with a membrane frame, a penetration area, penetrated by a rigid weight-bearing element, and an isolating compliance area. A skirt on the weighing platform surrounds the case, protecting detritus from entering from below onto the membrane, while providing open-air movement. The weighing platform and case are easily separated permitting fluid-based sterilization of both. The weight-bearing element may contain an electrical connection from the case to the platform, through the membrane.

Abstract: An animal cage is described suitable for automated use in a vivarium. The cage comprises a study animal; bedding; pathogens; a wireless, a sterilizable scale comprising a sterile case comprising a flexible, penetrated membrane; and a penetrating fastener penetrating the membrane. The comprises four internal volume areas with respect to pathogen content: (1) volume between the membrane and a weighing platform, free of bedding; (2) a sterile volume inside the scale case below the membrane; (3) a vertical channel fluidly connecting the inside of the cage with the first volume; and (4) the inside of the cage outside of the above three volumes. These four volumes are sterilely isolated from air outside the cage. Electronics in the scale communicate wirelessly, through the cage, to cage-associated electronics outside the cage, using narrow beam communications free of device-ID specific protocol. The scale may be disassembled, sterilized in a fluid, re-assembled, and re-used in a different cage.

Abstract: Symbologies suitable for use marking codes on rodent tails are disclosed, for both machine-readable and human-readable codes, and those codes combined. Codes comprising both a human-readable and a machine-readable portion may associate with an animal ID within one study, and a study ID within a vivarium, respectively. A human-readable code uses a subset of an alphanumeric symbol set. A machine-readable code uses a vine-code with a visible spine aligned with the rodent's tail. Both symbologies support a system for deleting symbols and correcting codes marked in error. Both symbologies use symbol sets comprising only horizontal and vertical line segments. Both symbologies include a sparse mapping table for mapping marking codes to animal and study ID, and for error detection and for code re-use.

Abstract: The invention describes an automated method, device and system for both husbandry and study purposes of animals by providing a heat reward for specific behavior. Embodiments include maintaining the cage temperature at a normal, comfortable temperature for the animals, such as mice, using radiant heat rather than conducted heat to provide the reward, using home cages for the animals, detecting the behavior fully automated, operating in animal darkness, and using cages that are free of electrical penetrations. Some embodiments have one animal in a cage. Some embodiments have or support multiple animals in a cage and include methods to detect automatically identify animals, locate animals in the cage and associate a behavior and reward for a specific animal. Some embodiments place all sensors and radiant heat sources outside the cage, or use infrared sources for both heating and for IR camera lighting.