AccuRotor Four Animal Rotarod

Overview

The AccuRotor Four Animal Rotarod is designed to test the coordination of mice and rats. In conjunction with the Fusion software, the AccuRotor provides a user-friendly platform for setting up simple constant speed trials or complex variable acceleration trials.

The precision controlled servo-motor rotates a suspended, grip-facilitating cylinder upon which the subject balances. Once a fall is detected, the Fusion software records the trial duration (for single fall experiments) or increments the fall count (for multiple fall/ duration controlled experiments). The enclosed chamber design beneath each rod prevents subjects from escaping or creating false triggers in other lanes after falling.

Each of the four chambers has its own status indicator, start button, fall detection sensors, and waste collection tray. Rat adapters are available for standard mouse size units, which allow for quick conversion from mouse to rat use. Models are available in both standard (40 cm fall height) and tall (64 cm fall height) versions. A stand-alone AccuRotor unit with a digital readout display is also available.

Experiment set-up via the Fusion software is uncomplicated  and gives the user complete control over the number of trials per animal as well as animal batch sizes. For convenience, individual trial re-run capabilities exist for both constant speed and accelerating experiment types. Custom acceleration profiles, even those incorporating both clockwise & counter clockwise rotations, can easily be created using the acceleration profile editor. Fusion also allows for large groups of animals to be tested ( four at a time in multi-batch mode) and multiple trials of each animal are supported.