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Our client, Andy Roberts, wishes to quantify the startle response of the rhesus monkey to improve the accuracy, repeatability and overall quality of his experiments. Currently a researcher qualitatively analyzes the response of a rhesus monkey during a startle experiment. This limits the results due to the bias of the researcher.
Our goal is to design a system to quantify the startle response in the Rhesus monkey. Our system must have the ability to record data remotely, accommodate to the current configuration of the monkey's cage and remain out of sight from the monkey.
Team Members:
Corey Arnold
Braden Rudolph
Mike Keller
Mike Mussallem
We are currently have a working prototype that is being used to test our design. We are experiencing problems with large percentage error in the readings in the Fz direction. An inverse matrix manipulation of the data may correct this problem but has not been implemented up to this point.
The timeline for the project.
| Week | Dates | Activities |
| 1 | 1/23 - 1/29 | Continue machining metal, build "box" apparatus |
| 2 | 1/30 - 2/5 | Tapped holes for side pieces on box, put it together |
| 3 | 2/6 - 2/12 | Box apparatus is not stable. Contacted ME machine shop about possibility of welding. |
| 4 | 2/13 - 2/19 | Got piece of wood to begin initial testing. Signed up for undergraduate symposium. |
| 5 | 2/20 - 2/26 | Readings on transducer are not accurate. Stabilized box mechanism with use of shortened screws. |
| 6 | 2/27 - 3/5 | Met with client. Discussed whether patent should be applied for. Began writing journal article. |
| 7 | 3/6 - 3/12 | Cut and milled aluminum plate to correct size. Decided against patent but may submit article for publication. |
| 8 | 3/13 - 3/19 | Oral presentation. Continued testing with wood plate. Learned about transducers built in filters. |
| 9 | 3/20 - 3/26 | Tried filters. |
| 10 | 3/26 - 4/3 | Spring Break. Continue to work on article for those who are around. |
| 11 | 4/4 - 4/10 | Problem with error in Fz. Meeting with Dr. Gruben. |
| 12 | 4/11 - 4/17 | Tapped holes for aluminum plate. Still getting error. Need to call company to discuss possible sources of error and solutions. |
| 13 | 4/18 - 5/4 | Construction complete. Inverse matrix is a possible solution to error. |
| 14 | 5/5 - 5/10 | Poster presentation. |
For questions regarding the content or layout of this page, contact the webmaster, Mike Keller.
For questions regarding aspects of the project feel free to contact the communications director, Corey Arnold.
You may contact the other team members by emailing them: Braden Rudolph, team leader, or Mike Mussallem, our course improvement committee member.
