We are Students. Engineers. Entrepreneurs. And we are here to help!

We not only understand the need for animals to be fed on customizable schedules,
but also offer the convenience of being able to control everything remotely.

AutoFeed Features

Google Calendar Integration

Autofeed will be integrated with a Google Account where everything can be controlled easily and effectively. Every feeding apparatus can be controlled independantly and easily by any lab membor who is given the account credentials.

Failsafe

Each mealtime a sliding door will close or open, allowing the animal access to food. Though we do not anticipate any issues with the doors opening/closing, the program will attempt to move the door 3 times before it is assumed to be blocked or malfunctioning. In this case an email notification will be sent to inform the designated users.

Animal Health and Safety

Each feeding apparatus is designed not to harm the animals. The strength of the sliding door has been tested to be strong enough for the animals not to be able to hold the door open, but weak enough so that the animals won't get injured when the sliding doors are closed.

Flexibility

Each feeding apparatus can be mounted on the side of almost any animal cage, which means that it will not obstruct any equipment mounted on top of the cage and can fit into relatively small shelves. Additional features that are laboratory specific can also be requested.

Frequently Asked Questions


How can I tell how much my animal is eating?

Each feeding apparatus comes with a slide-on-slide-off hopper that can be weighed easily to measure food consumption.

Can anyone control the meal times and receive error notification emails?

A password is required to have access to the calendars that control each feeding apparatus. This ensures secure control over the feeding times. In addition, the recipient(s) of the error emails can be altered at any time to facilitate staff changes and new projects.

What other features can be integrated into an optimouse feeder?

Currently, we are focusing on just temporal restriction to food for the animals. However, we have designed the system to be scalable in the event that a particular feature would be helpful for research.

Can the feeders be removed from a cage?

Yes absolutely. Each feeder is fastened to the side of the cage with wingnuts and can be easily removed.