ColonyRack
The ColonyRack is a next generation enriched environment. Multiple standard cages are interconnected by tubes which are monitored by RFID sensors. This allows longitudinal tracking of each animal to study individuality and behavioural variability in rodent populations under highly defined conditions. Parameters like physical fitness, sociability, hierarchical status, behavioural stereotypy, anxiety, and exploratory drive are derived from this automated home cage monitoring. Aging and frailty are only examples of relevant application areas. Novelty to the environment can be easily introduced by rearranging connections or cages. Furthermore, the habitat can be extended with additional automated test units for enhanced behavioural phenotyping.