A Proximity Sensor-Based Multipurpose Object Recognition Test System for Rodent Behavior Research

We report an automated, low-cost, and open-source methodology for rodent object recognition tasks (ORT), which are widely used behavior paradigms. The system was designed with an effort of behavior standardization and improvement. When it combined with easily accessible 3-D manufacturing technology, this proximity capacitive sensor based method provides an opportunity to explore new, and high throughput hardware for NORT. The system’s software allows behavior data to be instantaneously monitored and its output can be plotted promptly immediately upon the completion of the behavior test, thus saving labor and time. The performance of this package is cross-verified with a widely used video-based automated software scoring method and examined its sensitivity to chemogenetic behavior manipulations. This integrated package is an affordable and accurate tool for translational recognition memory research and other type of research with frequent use of NORT paradigms. Visual Abstract