Quad rat vitals monitor

Project Overview

The objective of this project is to design and construct a quad rat vitals monitor to be used during PET imaging experiments in order to maintain appropriate anesthesia dosages on each of the four rats independently. The device will monitor heart rates, SpO2 levels, respiratory rates, and rectal temperatures.

Three main goals for the semester are to expand the LabVIEW graphical user interface, construct a pulse oximeter clip, and to finish construction and test prototype devices to measure breathing rate and rectal temperatures.

Team Picture

Team members (L to R): Caitlyn Collins, Robert Bjerregaard, Matthew Bollom, Derek Klavas

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Project Timeline

Week	Reporting Period Beginning	Activities
1	September 4	Assigned team roles, contacted client
2	September 11	Met with client and began pulse oximetry research
3	September 18	Researched thermistors, pulse oximeters, and LabVIEW and obtained previous prototype
4	September 25	Prototype circuit analysis, pulse oximeter development, and design matrix creation
5	October 2	Consider ideas for user interface, analysis of pulse oximeter probes, and set up time to test device on rats
6	October 9	Test previous semester’s prototype, decide on design ideas, midsemester presentations
7	October 16	Probe and interface design, new breathing sensor ideas, midsemester paper finished
8	October 23	Implementing new user interface, modifiying breathing monitor, and rewired circuit
9	October 30	Modified breathing monitor, build rat model, pulse oximeter probe designed
10	November 6	Continued GUI development, project computer failed
11	November 13	Tested modified breathing monitor, built pulse oximeter clip
12	November 20
13	November 27
14	December 4
15	December 11