Abstract
When performing canine operant conditioning studies, the delivery of the reward can be a limiting factor of the study. While there are a few commercially available options for automatically delivering rewards, they generally require manual input, such as using a remote control, in accordance with the experiment script. This means that human reaction times and transmission distances can cause interruptions to the flow of the experiment. The potential for development of non-supervised conditioning studies is limited by this same factor. To remedy this, we retrofitted an off-the-shelf treat dispenser with new electronics that allow it to be remotely controllable as well as act as an experiment computation, data storage, and networking center. We present a fully integrated dispenser driver board with a complementary Raspberry Pi. With rather simple modifications, the commercial treat dispenser can be modified into a computer-controlled dispenser for canine cognition experiments or for other forms of canine training or games. Funding Statement: This research was supported by a National Science Foundation grant to JRS (SES-1658837), including a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) stipend to WA, and by a University of Nebraska-Lincoln Research Council Grant-in-Aid to JRS.
Highlights
When performing canine operant conditioning studies, the delivery of the reward can be a limiting factor of the study
(3) Application Use Case(s) The modified Treat & Train was designed to be used in canine cognition studies and be controlled by a script to perform the reward dispensing in response to input from the canine subject
Licence: Creative Commons CC-BY-SA, 4.0 Date published: 29/07/2020 (5) Discussion Conclusions This study presented a method by which a common, offthe-shelf, canine treat dispenser can be modified to conduct operant conditioning studies using a computer interface
Summary
Developing a Computer-Controlled Treat Dispenser for Canine Operant Conditioning. When performing canine operant conditioning studies, the delivery of the reward can be a limiting factor of the study. Canine cognition can be tested by dispensing a treat when the animal subject touches a visual indicator on a screen (see demonstration video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veKvqE5ipu4) This allows researchers to present a range of different stimuli to the dogs, record their responses, and reinforce the responses with food treats. The first circuit is the digital interface for the RF remote ‘click’ signal that dispenses treats This is triggered by connecting the positive motor output of the Treat & Train main board to a transistor circuit that would energize when the main board tries to drive the motor.
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