I know this a lot to read, but it is a fairly simple ME/EE project that I could definitely use even the least bit of guidance in.
I am trying to build a self-automated apparatus that can condition mice to learn a certain image.
There are two compartments in a box. In one compartment, the mice rest and there is a door that can allow only one mouse at a time to enter the other compartment, where the conditioning will occur.
In the conditioning compartment, there are three computer screens that display 3 different image patterns. One of these is the positive image that we will try to teach the mouse. This is done like so:
All three screens have a food dispenser below them. However all screens also have a shock platform. Of the 3 screens at any given time, one will be a positive image in which the mouse will be dispensed food. However, if the mouse chooses to get food from the other 2 food dispensers beneath the negative images, then punishment will occur in the form of a minor shock.
Unfortunately, the position of the positive image cannot always be in one position and most appear random to the mouse so that the mouse doesnt always, lets say, go left because it has learned there is no shock there. That means the 2 places that shock occurs must correlate to the position of the negative image and no current must be flowing to the positive image shock mechanism.
So my question to you guys is how can I build this thing so that upon a stimulus (which will be the opening/closing of the door between the compartments) the positions of the shock change so that only 2 of the 3 are on at a given time and how can I make this alternate? They need to be in some order, maybe 1 1 0, 1 0 1, and 0 1 1thats fine with me, as long as the positive image is not in the same position all the time. Is there a simple way to make a circuit board sequence through these positions and provide current in this pattern?
ANY help is appreciated, sorry for the long post guys. Feel free to ask questions.
I am trying to build a self-automated apparatus that can condition mice to learn a certain image.
There are two compartments in a box. In one compartment, the mice rest and there is a door that can allow only one mouse at a time to enter the other compartment, where the conditioning will occur.
In the conditioning compartment, there are three computer screens that display 3 different image patterns. One of these is the positive image that we will try to teach the mouse. This is done like so:
All three screens have a food dispenser below them. However all screens also have a shock platform. Of the 3 screens at any given time, one will be a positive image in which the mouse will be dispensed food. However, if the mouse chooses to get food from the other 2 food dispensers beneath the negative images, then punishment will occur in the form of a minor shock.
Unfortunately, the position of the positive image cannot always be in one position and most appear random to the mouse so that the mouse doesnt always, lets say, go left because it has learned there is no shock there. That means the 2 places that shock occurs must correlate to the position of the negative image and no current must be flowing to the positive image shock mechanism.
So my question to you guys is how can I build this thing so that upon a stimulus (which will be the opening/closing of the door between the compartments) the positions of the shock change so that only 2 of the 3 are on at a given time and how can I make this alternate? They need to be in some order, maybe 1 1 0, 1 0 1, and 0 1 1thats fine with me, as long as the positive image is not in the same position all the time. Is there a simple way to make a circuit board sequence through these positions and provide current in this pattern?
ANY help is appreciated, sorry for the long post guys. Feel free to ask questions.