VersaBot

Description: VersaBot is a miniature robot designed for use in the Neurophysiology lab. VersaBot simulates responses of an awake behaving animal while generating waveforms characteristic of intracranial extracellular recordings. VersaBot can be used to test the instrumentation dynamically and optimize the data quality. It is ideal for behaviour simulation, setting up a new workstation, troubleshooting instrumentation, signal diagnosis, calibration, student labs and public demonstrations. VersaBot’s powerful combination of sensory inputs, computer programmability, and transport make it useful for neural computation and stimulus response modelling. As an animal model VersaBot is useful for behaviour studies and is easy to program in PBASIC, a simple form of BASIC. When constructing a new experimental station VersaBot serves as a convenient tool for troubleshooting and instrumentation setup. Aside from providing a reliable characteristic signal source, VersaBot allows researchers to characterize their experimental apparatus while realistic mechanical forces are applied to the interconnect, tether, and commutator. This dynamic form of testing reveals problems that may otherwise fail to show up until after an experiment has been run. VersaBot’s movement around the arena also reveals problems due to radiated noise sources. Various diagnostic modes are provided to facilitate these tests such as shorting the output pins and coupling VersaBot’s alloy wheels to the ground path. Noise sources communicated across the arena floor itself are even identified by this means. VersaBot is well suited to expose problems associated with intermittent signal anomalies that are difficult to diagnose and impossible to remove with hardware filters or signal processing. Flawed data due to such faults often results in further experimental runs at the expense of time, resources, and animals. Using VersaBot to characterize or diagnose periodic noise can significantly reduce data processing time. This is particularly true of experiments involving large numbers of recorded channels that generate massive data files. As a standard experimental procedure, VersaBot can be used to produce calibration track records. Using this method, samples of VersaBot’s generated signal are recorded prior to and following experimentation. These signal samples become a permanent part of the recorded data file. Later during data analysis these sample tracks can be compared for uniformity thus confirming the integrity of the experimental data. VersaBot can be used to capture data from a behaving subject without jeopardizing a live animal. At forums where the use of live animals is prohibited VersaBot provides an allowable yet realistic means of illustrating experimental techniques and the function of lab apparatus. VersaBot’s usefulness in such cases extends to student labs or while entertaining visitors unaccustomed to animal research. VersaBot is the solution for all instances in which the use of an animal isn’t truly needed or preferred. VersaBot is provided complete and ready to run. Software, documentation, and a computer interface cable for downloading the behaviour routines are included.

Comments & References: Item number VBP/400. The package includes: VersaBot miniature robot with left and right obstacle sensors, light sensors, encoders, and dual precision signal generators, basic Stamp II microcontroller, serial cable, example programs, software and user documentation. Requires 9V battery. For email orders (sales@divent.com): address the order to ’Order Department’. Orders can also be placed over the telephone.

Price: US$795.00. Add 7.75% tax in CA. Add US$20.00 in shipping and handling charges in the continenal U.S.