OSCAR: an open-source controller for animal research

Abstract

Operant animal behavior training and monitoring is fundamental to scientific inquiry across fields necessitating evaluation via controlled laboratory tasks. However, current commercial and open-source systems enforce particular hardware and software, limiting reproducibility and technique and data sharing across sites. To address this issue, we developed OSCAR: an open-source controller for animal research that enables flexible control of a variety of industry standard hardware with platform-independent software. OSCAR offers millisecond latency with a flexible array of inputs and outputs at a fraction of the cost of commercial options. These features position OSCAR as a valuable option for improving consistency of behavioral experiments across studies.

Cross-species modeling and enhancement of cognitive control with striatal brain stimulation

“…A food dispenser and a food trough, equipped with infrared sensors capable of detecting head entries used for trial initiation, were positioned on the opposite wall. Software and an appropriate interface (GraphicState 4.0, Coulbourn Instruments or in-house Pybehave/OSCAR ( 81 )) controlled the presentation and sequencing of stimuli. Video recording was identical to Set-Shift.…”