Embedded System for Individualized Capture of Ultrasonic Vocalizations in Rats

Abstract

The study of vocalization in animals can be used to understand their behaviors and emotions, allowing the unraveling of complex aspects of animal communication and behavior. In-depth analysis of vocalizations, especially ultrasonic ones, provides valuable insights into social dynamics, hierarchies, reproduction, and animal well-being, thereby enriching scientific understanding. Changes in vocalizations can indicate states of stress, discomfort, or contentment, providing important information for understanding the needs and emotional conditions of animals. At the Brain Institute (ICe/UFRN), studies are conducted aimed at a deeper understanding of rats as a species. For these studies, rodent vocalization audio is captured using specialized systems for audio acquisition in the frequency range of these animals. However, market-available solutions are costly and do not have appropriate dimensions. Therefore, a proposal to enable these studies is the development of an acquisition system that allows for individualized capture of ultrasonic audio. This proposal would not only address existing technological limitations but also enable significant advances in research in the behavioral and neuroscientific fields of rats, thereby enhancing understanding of their behavior and interaction with the surrounding environment.