pyControl GridMaze Tower Assembly

The pyControl GridMaze is an open and modular behavioral testing system designed for experiments with freely moving rodents. Built around the open-source pyControl framework, the system enables automated execution of behavioral tasks with precise control of stimuli, rewards, and event timing. The GridMaze is particularly suited for studies involving spatial navigation, decision-making, and learning experiments. It can also be combined with external recording systems such as cameras or imaging setups.

The pyControl GridMaze Tower Assembly is an assembled tower package for building, replacing, maintaining, or expanding active tower positions within a GridMaze setup.

Each assembly provides the mechanical tower, walkway components, interaction electronics, reward-delivery hardware, and mounting parts required for one tower-based interaction point.

• Modular tower assembly for pyControl GridMaze setups
• Provides one active interaction point within the maze structure
• Supports nose-poke based behavioral interaction
• Enables location-specific cue and reward delivery
• Suitable for replacement, maintenance, or expansion of GridMaze configurations

• Maze-poke PCB / tower interaction electronics
• Tower mechanical parts, including acrylic, HIPS, and PETG components
• Walkway mechanical parts, including base and side panels
• Frosted acrylic diffuser rod
• Reward-delivery components, including solenoid, reward tube, PVC tubing, and tubing adaptor
• Required mounting hardware, including screws, nuts, and spacers

Mohamady El-Gaby, Adam Loyd Harris, James C. R. Whittington, William Dorrell, Arya Bhomick, Mark E. Walton, Thomas Akam & Timothy E. J. Behrens (2024). A cellular basis for mapping behavioural structure. Nature.

Michael Pereira,  Beatriz S. Godinho,  Christian K. Machens,  Rui M. Costa, Thomas Akam (2026). Flexible route planning and rapid structure learning by mice in complex environments. bioRxiv

Peter T. Doohan,  Kristopher T. Jensen,  Yaqing Chen,  Beatriz S. Godinho,  Charles D. G. Burns, Chongyu (Xiao) Qin, Josie L. Emery, Ryan J. Cini,  Mark E. Walton,  Timothy E. J. Behrens,  Thomas E. Akam (2026). Structured and flexible representations in medial-frontal cortex support goal-directed navigation. bioRxiv

Thomas Akam, Andy Lustig, James M Rowland, Sampath KT Kapanaiah, Joan Esteve-Agraz, Mariangela Panniello, Cristina Márquez, Michael M Kohl, Dennis Kätzel, Rui M Costa, Mark E Walton (2022). pyControl: Open source, Python-based hardware and software for controlling behavioural neuroscience experiments. eLife.