PULSE V2

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This is a heart frequency logger to monitor the cardiac performance of molluscs and crustaceans. It can record the cardiac frequency of up to ten animals simultaneously. It uses infrared (IR) sensors glued to the exoskeleton of the animals being monitored above their heart. Changes in the shape or volume of the circulatory structures during a heart contraction, or heartbeat, change the amount of IR light reflected from the animal’s internal anatomy back to each IR detector. Received IR light is then transduced to changes in electrical current which are then independently processed and can be fine-tuned for each channel separately using the potentiometer knobs in the front panel. Data are simultaneously plotted on the 3.5'' LCD screen and saved into the device's memory as plain CSV files, which can be readily imported into Excel, Matlab, R, or others. Since this device relies on non-invasive technology, it is harmless and can be used on live animals, providing on-the-fly data on their physiological performance. This standalone device does not need any external oscilloscope or PC to work (even though a PC is required to download the logged data through WiFi). Mission parameters, such as the sampling frequency, are configurable. 

1. New and simplified amplification circuit, more responsive and virtually immune to positive feedback.
2. Individually regulated amplification for each channel.
3. Permanent and simultaneous reading/logging of all channels.
4. Option to record in continuous mode or at defined periods.
5. Pause button to interrupt recording sessions.
6. Splash-proof (IP 64) enclosure, splash-proof potentiometers, buttons, switches and cable connections. 
7. WiFi connectivity for easy data transfer over FTP. Ability to join a pre-existing WiFi or to create its own.
8. Accessible SD card to ease transferring large amounts of data.
9.  3.5’’ LCD screen.
10. Ten independent channels.
11. Easy firmware updates. 

The infrared sensors we typically use are the Vishay CNY70, but others can also be employed. There are many available shapes and sizes. If handled cautiously, each sensor can be glued to an animal, detached and reused multiple times. You can buy separate sensors from us. 

Data are saved as CSV files which can be readily imported into Excel, Matlab, R, or others. It has virtually no memory limitation. We are working on an R package to process large volumes of data automatically. In the future, this ability will be incorporated into the firmware. Contact us for more details.