Open-MAC Commutator

Founding developers Dennis Kätzel, and Sampath Kapanaiah

$1,740.00 USD

Function

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Accessories for Open-MAC Commutator

Founding developers Dennis Kätzel, and Sampath Kapanaiah

Dennis Kätzel and Sampath Kapanaiah are at Ulm University where Dennis Kätzel is professor of neurophysiology and specializes in translational psychiatry, with a particular emphasis on schizophrenia and ADHD. This work involves investigating cognitive functions in mice using a variety of tools, including electrophysiological recording and neural circuit modulation. The lab is very keen on making their hardware developments open source tools that become available to the community.

Motorized, Low-Torque Commutator

The Open-MAC is a low-torque, Motorized All-in-one Commutator. It operates in torque-based mode with minimal audible noise due to its dual magnetic Hall sensors. The system accommodates 128-256 recording channels for electrophysiology and miniature endoscope (miniscope) / optogenetics applications.

Open-MAC Commutator is available in two variants: Mini-Ephys and Opto-Ephys.

EXPERIMENTAL CAPABILITIES

Usable in different configurations:

Mini-Ephys Version	Opto-Ephys Version
1. Electrophysiology 12-channel SPI (128 recording channels) 2. Miniscope only 3. Electrophysiology 12-channel SPI (128 recording channels) and Miniscope	1. Electrophysiology 12-channel SPI (128 recording channels) 2. Optogenetics (1 or 2 Optic fiber) 3. Electrophysiology 12-channel SPI (128 recording channels) and Optical Fiber

KEY FEATURES

Low-torque and smooth motorized commutator relying on dual hall sensors
Endless 360° rotation for unrestricted movement
Powered by a USB-C or DC power supply (5-12 V, 300 mA rating)
Onboard microcontroller (XIAO SAMD21 or ESPC32)
Arduino-based code

Fully assembled commutator for electrophysiology 12-channel SPI and miniscope or optogenetics
USB-C cable

FULFILLMENT

Ships within 4–6 weeks after order confirmation.

PUBLICATION

SKT Kapanaiah, D Kätzel (2023). Open-MAC: A low-cost open-source motorized commutator for electro- and opto-physiological recordings in freely moving rodents. HardwareX.

Documentation Source Code