TY - GEN
T1 - Design and development of biomimetic quadruped robot for behavior studies of rats and mice
AU - Ishii, Hiroyuki
AU - Masuda, Yuichi
AU - Miyagishima, Syunsuke
AU - Fumino, Shogo
AU - Takanishi, Atsuo
AU - Laschi, Cecilia
AU - Mazzolai, Barbara
AU - Mattoli, Virgilio
AU - Dario, Paolo
PY - 2009/1/1
Y1 - 2009/1/1
N2 - This paper presents the design and development of a novel biomimetic quadruped robot for behavior studies of rats and mice. Many studies have been performed using these animals for the purpose of understanding human mind in psychology, pharmacology and brain science. In these fields, several experiments on social interactions have been performed using rats as basic studies of mental disorders or social learning. However, some researchers mention that the experiments on social interactions using animals are poorly-reproducible. Therefore, we consider that reproducibility of these experiments can be improved by using a robotic agent that interacts with an animal subject. Thus, we developed a small quadruped robot WR-2 (Waseda Rat No. 2) that behaves like a real rat. Proportion and DOF arrangement of WR-2 are designed based on those of a mature rat. This robot has four 3-DOF legs, a 2-DOF waist and a 1-DOF neck. A microcontroller and a wireless communication module are implemented on it. A battery is also implemented. Thus, it can walk, rear by limbs and groom its body.
AB - This paper presents the design and development of a novel biomimetic quadruped robot for behavior studies of rats and mice. Many studies have been performed using these animals for the purpose of understanding human mind in psychology, pharmacology and brain science. In these fields, several experiments on social interactions have been performed using rats as basic studies of mental disorders or social learning. However, some researchers mention that the experiments on social interactions using animals are poorly-reproducible. Therefore, we consider that reproducibility of these experiments can be improved by using a robotic agent that interacts with an animal subject. Thus, we developed a small quadruped robot WR-2 (Waseda Rat No. 2) that behaves like a real rat. Proportion and DOF arrangement of WR-2 are designed based on those of a mature rat. This robot has four 3-DOF legs, a 2-DOF waist and a 1-DOF neck. A microcontroller and a wireless communication module are implemented on it. A battery is also implemented. Thus, it can walk, rear by limbs and groom its body.
KW - Biomimetics
KW - Experiments with animals
KW - Quadruped robot
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77951021600&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=77951021600&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1109/IEMBS.2009.5335307
DO - 10.1109/IEMBS.2009.5335307
M3 - Conference contribution
C2 - 19965275
AN - SCOPUS:77951021600
SN - 9781424432967
T3 - Proceedings of the 31st Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society: Engineering the Future of Biomedicine, EMBC 2009
SP - 7192
EP - 7195
BT - Proceedings of the 31st Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society
PB - IEEE Computer Society
T2 - 31st Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society: Engineering the Future of Biomedicine, EMBC 2009
Y2 - 2 September 2009 through 6 September 2009
ER -