Equipment Model

Orchid Scientific TRM-01

Description

The Orchid Scientific TRM-01 is a versatile treadmill designed for assessing physical endurance, motor coordination, and exercise physiology in rodents. It accommodates both mice and rats, offering adjustable speed, inclination, and aversive stimuli to facilitate a range of experimental protocols.

Lab

Annex - Second Floor

Institute

Central Animal Research Facility

Location

Central Animal Research Facility, Opposite MSLS, Eshwar Nagar, Manipal, Udupi, Karnataka 576104, India

• Applications

  • Exercise Physiology: Evaluating the effects of physical training on cardiovascular and muscular systems.

  • Endurance Testing: Measuring fatigue and stamina in rodents under various conditions.

  • Motor Coordination Studies: Assessing locomotor abilities and coordination.

  • Pharmacological Research: Investigating the impact of drugs on physical performance.

  • Metabolic Studies: Exploring energy expenditure and metabolic responses to exercise.

• Key Features

  • Adjustable Speed: Ranges from 1 to 100 m/min in 1 m/min increments.

  • Inclination Control: Manual adjustment from -25° to +25° in 1° steps.

  • Shock Grid: Delivers mild electric shocks (0 to 2.5 mA) with selectable frequencies (1, 2, or 3 Hz) to motivate movement.

  • Multi-Mode Operation: Supports constant, acceleration, deceleration, and multistep modes.

  • Touchscreen Interface: 7” display for intuitive control and monitoring.

  • Data Recording: Tracks parameters such as distance traveled, number of shocks, and total duration.

  • Software Integration: Compatible with specialized software for data analysis and report generation.

  • Flexible Design: Configurable for six mice or three rats with acrylic lanes and hinged top lids.

• Limitations

  • Stress Induction: Use of aversive stimuli may introduce stress, potentially affecting results.

  • Manual Inclination Adjustment: Requires manual intervention to change slope angles.

  • Species-Specific Configurations: Different setups needed for mice and rats, requiring adjustments.

  • Environmental Sensitivity: External factors like noise and lighting can influence behavior.

  • Maintenance Requirements: Regular calibration and cleaning necessary to ensure accurate measurements.