Zantiks MWP Z3

Benefits

All the Zantiks units are built along the same principles, enabling high throughput and easy-to-run experiments. The benefits of choosing Zantiks include:

• An isolated and stable testing environment
• Networked and controlled via a web browser
• Live video view and real-time video recording
• Includes software, uses the Zanscript language for experiment specification
• Real-time results processing and output in .csv format
• Integrated camera, computer, optogenetic lighting, experimental chamber and built-in stimuli
• Takes up little bench space
• Only requires 12V power and a network connection

Target Studies

The MWP Z3 systems can perform a range of studies, including but not exclusive to:

• Locomotion
• Light/dark transitions
• Toxicity
• Startle response
• Habituation
• Prepulse inhibition
• Circadian rhythm
• Optogenetics

NOTE: this is not a complete list of all the studies that the systems are capable of. Please contact us if you have any specific studies in mind.

Zantiks MWP Z3 kit

The MWP Z3 system has an overall unit size of 270mm width (with heater attached) x 260mm length x 620mm height and is fully integrated with: 

• Zanscript (Zantiks proprietary scripting software)
• Computer
• Camera; interchangeable lenses: standard and varifocal "zoom" lens that gives a close up view
• Overhead and underneath illumination
• Audio/sound output
• 2 types of vibration stimuli
• Temperature control system
• Closed network wifi operation (Zantiks router is supplied) 

Built-in stimuli

• Overhead and underneath illumination – colour, brightness and duration can be specified with millisecond accuracy.
  • Can be used for ambient lighting, circadian rhythm entrainment and light flashes.
  • RGB, White and UV LEDs bright enough for optogenetics
• Vibratory stimuli – 2 types of vibrations produced by either a stepper motor or an eccentric rotating mass (ERM) motors. 
  • Duration, intensity and frequency can be precisely controlled with millisecond accuracy.
  • Suitable for generating startle responses, PPI and wakefulness.
• Audio stimuli - allows playback of *.wav files through a range of speaker options.
  • Suitable for startles, predator cues, vocal calls of conspecifics, etc.

Included equipment

Temperature control unit 🡕

Allows raising the temperature above that of ambient room temperature. Suitable for maintaining favourable temperatures, or for heat shock.

• Small footprint (total bench area required, 300mm x 300mm); connects directly to the side of the MWP Z3 unit.
• Powered entirely from the MWP Z3 unit itself and controlled from the Zantiks scripting language.
• Operates via moving air through the testing chamber.
• Control of the temperature up to 10°C above ambient.
  • Drosophila experiments, in a room at 20°C, you can achieve the standard 22°C or 25°C
  • Zebrafish embryos and larvae experiments, in a room at 25°C, you could achieve the standard 28°C.

NOTE: As it operates via moving air, it may be beneficial for some experiments (such as long-term or animals that require humidity) to use lids or covers on the multi-well plates / petri dishes to reduce evaporation from the chambers containing animals.

Add-on equipment

There are many different bioassay plates and equipment available for the MWP Z3 units. Please see the Zantiks Optional Add-Ons page for additional equipment offered.

How to operate

Fully networked, Zantiks units are supplied with a router and controlled via a web browser, allowing users to operate them from a phone, tablet, laptop, PC, Mac or Chromebook.

From the web browser on your device you can access the Zantiks Control Console towrite & edit scripts, start & stop services (i.e., experiments), view the live video feed, and download results (.csv files) or media files.

For details on how to use the Zantiks Control Console, see the Zantiks Control Console manual.

Tracking and video recording

Live tracking of up to 96 single-housed small animals can be carried out in the MWP Z3 at a default of 30fps with the standard lensing. The varifocal "zoom" lens reduces the arena that can be observed at one time to allow for more close-up, higher detailed imaging to be captured. 

Up to four separate video recordings may be made simultaneously. The cameras can produce high-speed video at 600fps.

Software features

All Zantiks data output is exported live and in realtime as a *.csv file. The system can export up to four separate data files and four separate video files simultaneously. Output options include:

• Distance travelled (mm)
• Mean pixel change
• Zone use
  • Time spent in zone (sec)
  • Distance travelled in zone (mm)
  • Number of entries into zone
• XY coordinate data
• XYZ coordinate data
• Heatmaps
• Track trace drawing
• Realtime & timelapse video
• Image capture
• Video labelling

All Zantiks systems are operated via Zanscript proprietary scripting language which allows for:

• Open loop scripting
• Closed loop scripting
• Operant training/learning
• Control of all stimuli with millisecond accuracy