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Professor Baker, University of Newcastle

Transcutaneous signal transmission without breaching the skin's natural barrier to infection

Aims

This aim of this study is significantly to improve the welfare of animals, initially monkeys, involved in studies to record their muscle movements or brain activity. An electronic implant will be designed capable of transmitting large amounts of data through the skin. This will replace the current practice of running wires through a connector on the back of the animal which transfer signals to a computer for analysis. The presence of such connectors prevents the skin from healing fully, which means that the animals may be left prone to infections that are difficult to treat.

By implanting a radio transmitter under the skin capable of communicating the information wirelessly to a receiver outside the body, the skin can heal, thereby reducing the risk of infection. Similar devices (known as telemetry devices) are already widely used in other types of animal experimentation, but the commercially available models cannot transmit the large amount of data that is required to enable the effective study of muscle and brain activity.

Methods

The implant will be an electronic device able to amplify and digitise up to 16 channels of information from different sensors in the animal's body and transmit them through the skin. The device will be made from printed circuit boards which have a flexible backing which can mould to the curve of the animal's back, enabling the skin to be closed over it.

The prototype will be tested on rabbits, and then monkeys, as part of ongoing research programmes, so no additional animals will be used to test the system.

Implications for the 3Rs

Eliminating the risk of infections associated with back connectors will significantly improve the welfare of all animals used in this type of experimentation.

Such infections can affect the quality of behavioural data obtained, and in some cases may lead to the experiment being ended before enough data is gathered, necessitating the use of more animals to complete the research. Using an implant that removes the risk of infection can therefore also achieve a reduction in the numbers of animals needed.

Once the implant is proved to be reliable, the aim will be to develop it commercially, thereby maximising dissemination of this technology to researchers worldwide.