Product Number: ACT-500 & ACT-556

Data Analysis and Collection for Circadian Biology

• ClockLab's data collection program incorporates a large array of features at reasonable cost:
       Up to 448 channels on a desktop or laptop machine
       USB interface for instant setup
       Integrated light control and light recording
       High-density switch connections
       Remote data access via internet
       Record switches, motion detectors, Minimitter ER-4000's
• Paste actograms and other plots into presentation graphics programs like PowerPoint, Illustrator or Photoshop. Every graph is completely editable.
• Automated detection of activity onsets and offsets makes it possible to
       Measure phase shifts
       Measure mean alpha
       Predict future activity onsets... all with a few mouse clicks.
• Zoomable actograms for easy navigation through long records. Just drag on an interesting part of the actogram to zoom in. Then click to display the periodogram, FFT or activity profile for the chosen data segment.
• Chi-squared periodograms, activity profiles, FFT's and auto-correlograms.
• Bout anlaysis.
• Export all data and analyses to spreadsheet files.
• Access data in many formats, including...ClockLab format, Stanford Software's Chronobiology Kit, Actiwatch, Dataquest, Minimitter, Trikinetics and others.
• Extensive batch processing capabilities for printing and analysis.
• Windows compatible.

Analysis program (Circadian Toolbox)

A single-computer license for the analysis program can be purchased on its own. It requires the purchase of Matlab (The Mathworks, Natick, MA). Only the basic Matlab is required. Toolboxes, simulink, the compilers and Excel Builder are not required. The Student verison is not recommended and will not work for large data files.

Complete system (Data collection and analysis)

Multi-computer site license for the ClockLab Analysis program is available with each data collection system.

Upgrades of the data collection and analysis program are free for 3 years.

System Requirements

The data analysis system runs on Windows 2000/XP and requires only the basic MATLAB program (no toolboxes or Simulink necessary) from The MathWorks, Inc. if your institution does not already have a site license available.

Data collection requires a computer running Windows 2000/XP with a clock speed of 500 MHz or greater and 128 MB memory. Monitor resolution of 1024x768 or better. Zip drive , flash memory stick or network connection recommended for accessing files during data collection.

Product Number: ACT-556A

ClockLab's 56-channel interface is a small (8" wide) box that connects to the computer via a USB cable. Using a USB hub, up to 8 interface boxes can be connected to a single computer, for 448 input channels.

Each interface box has on its face 8 RJ-45, or ethernet-style, connectors. These connectors have 8 pins. As shown in the diagram below, one pin serves as a ground, and the other as inputs for 7 different channels. Each switch (or other input device, such as an infrared motion detector) is simply connected between the ground and one of the signal pins. When the switch closes, the program detects an event on the corresponding input channel.

Each input channel can be used to count events on a switch or other detector. Or it can be configured to detect the lights in the experimental room or chamber. For light detection, a photodetector (provided) is connected to the input channel, and the program is configured to store that channel's data as the light cycle for a specified set of counting channels.

Also availalbe are simple breakout boxes that convert each RJ-45 input to 7 pairs of banana jacks for direct connection to switches and light detectors.

Product Number: ACT-553

Used to convert each RJ-45 input to 7 pairs of banana jacks for direct connection to switches and light detectors.

Product Number: ACT-551 & ACT-552

Rodent Cages with running wheel

This mouse cage design was developed in a leading circadian rhythms lab and has been found to be extremely reliable, easy to clean and inexpensive. Contact Actimetrics for more infomation. Mouse-sized cages are shown below. Rat/Hamster cages also available.

Top view of a mouse cage with running wheel installed. The switch mounting plugs (red) are at the top of the photo and the switch is hidden by the cage side. Ruler is 12 inches long.

A side view

A close up of the switch. Two banana plugs projecting away from the camera are at the upper left and lower right corners of black switch housing. These are not electrically connected, but plug into the red banana jacks in the cage wall to hold the switch in place. The switch is therefore easily removable for cage cleaning. The switch lever arm projects out to the right and passes just below the wheel axle (It's hard to see when viewed side on like this). The cam on the axle (projecting up and slightly to the right) hits the lever arm as the wheel rotates, depressing the switch button once per revolution.

Cage with top on

Product Number: ACT-558

Converts one of the two RJ-45 rear panel low voltage outputs on the ACT-556 or -556A into four separate and controllable BNC outputs.

Product Number: ACT-557

Converts one of the two RJ-45 rear panel low voltage outputs on the ACT-556 or -556A into four separate and controllable 28VDC AUX connections used by Coulbourn modules.