EthoLoop RECO-Box

RECO-Boxe enables direct interaction with the animals by provide different modality stimuli and liquid reward. It can be controlled wirelessly and has been integrated in the EthoLoop software to design conditioning and foraging experiments for freely moving animals in teir naturalistic habitat.
Elements required to build a RECO-Box are:

1 - Wirelees Arduino MKR-1000
2 - Lithium ion battery
3 - Waterproof plastic box
4 - Piezo speaker
5 - Solenoid valve
6 - Stepper motor
7 - Peristaltic pump
8 - Glass bottle
9 - Low voltage stepper driver
10 - Infrared LED
11 - Green LED

Hardware Setup Arduino Code

RECO-Box Hardware Setup

3D print the insert and the lick-port

All the elements of the RECO-Box are located inside an insert that will eventually be placed in the box. The 3D printable file of the insert, LED holders and lickport circuit can be downloaded from here.

Printed circuit board (PCB)

To facilitate the soldering and wiring of all elements, we have designed a PCB. The picture on the left is an image from both sides of one RECO-Box PCB. The layout design can be downloaded from here.

Soldering and wiring

Follow the design provided in the PDF file and complete the wiring and soldering of your PCB to all elements of the RECO-Box.

Place inside the box

Add the Arduino MKR on top of the PCB and place all elements inside the insert. Also please see here.

RECO-Box Source Code

Install Arduino IDE

On your Linux host machine install Arduino IDE. To program the Arduino MKR 1000, add Atmel SAMD Core to it and add WiFi101 library.

RECO-Box source code

Download RECO-Box source code and open it with Arduino IDE. After saving the project, choose MKR board from Tools->Board. Connect the MKR-1000 to the USB port and again from the Tool section choose the port and upload the code.

This code connects Arduino to your local router (you have to specify network ssid, password and assigne an IP address), where all Jetson-TX2s and Host machine are connected. Afterward it decodes the arrived UDP packet and based on their first letter it activates one of the RECO-Box functions.

Run RECO-Box from EthoLoop Software

If you have already installed EthoLoop Host Package, have both the Host Machine and your RECO-Box on the same local network (via wireless router). Run EthoLoop software and choose Run RECO-Box option.

By clicking on the Adjust IPs button you can configure the port and IP address of your RECO-Box and also add several other RECO-Boxes. After applying the configuration you can test all functions of your RECO-Box.