BEATBox

The BEhavioural and AuTonomous Box (BEATBox): an open-source automated, customizable, and low-cost system for high-throughput data acquisition

24/7 home-cage operant conditioning that preserves natural rhythms while increasing data density and reproducibility.

Context & Scientific Background

BEATBox is an autonomous home-cage behavioral system that lets rodents live inside the experimental apparatus while continuously performing tasks.

By removing repeated handling, artificial session boundaries, and experimenter-driven timing, BEATBox preserves circadian rhythms, motivation, and long-term behavioral dynamics. The result is richer, more ecological data with higher reproducibility and lower animal stress.

System Presentation

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BEATBox enables researchers to

Respect natural rhythms through fully autonomous task engagement
Run long-duration experiments (days to weeks) without repeated handling
Capture richer behavioral dynamics across circadian and motivational states
Implement complex operant conditioning procedures in an ecological context
Improve reproducibility through standardized, automated workflows
Align with the 3Rs (Reduction, Refinement, Replacement)
Reduce the number of animals required by increasing trials per subject and improving data quality

System Overview

24/7 Home-Cage Operant Conditioning

BEATBox is an open, modular platform for continuous behavioral monitoring in a home-cage-like environment. Tasks, sensors, and reward modules can be configured to match experimental goals while minimizing handling and stress.

Continuous behavioral monitoring in a home-cage-like environment
Minimal experimenter intervention with autonomous task engagement
Modular hardware panels and task design
Built for long-term cognitive and motivational studies

3D render of the BEATBox enclosure — 3D render of the integrated home-cage enclosure with modular task interfaces.

Transparent render showing BEATBox internal layout — Transparent render showing internal modules and animal pathways.

Concept illustration of BEATBox in a lab environment (AI-generated).

Assembly Walkthrough

Transparent assembly video of the BEATBox enclosure

AssemblageCage_Transparent video.

Real-World Builds (Photos)

Real photos to show BEATBox nearing deployment

Full enclosure in the labReal BEATBox setup installed in a home-cage environment.

Electronics layoutTop-down photo showing electronics wiring and controller boards.

Control detailClose-up of screens and electronics integration.

GUI & Monitoring Screens

Python software interface screenshots

Main GUIPrimary control window for system setup and monitoring.

Monitoring windowLive status for tasks and sensors.

Performance dashboardBehavioral metrics and performance overview.

Scientific Advantages

Ecological validity with longitudinal, high-power datasets

Ecological validity

Natural behavior is preserved by allowing animals to engage on their own schedule.

Longitudinal acquisition

Track behavioral dynamics across days and weeks with stable conditions.

High trial counts

Autonomous engagement increases the number of trials per subject.

Reduced stress

Minimal handling limits stress-related bias in behavioral readouts.

Higher statistical power

Richer within-subject datasets improve sensitivity and reproducibility.

Technical Architecture

Modular hardware with software-hardware co-design

Automated feederReal feeder module installed in the V3 build.

Feeder (side view)Side view of the feeder module.

Lighting control (top)Top view of the lighting module.

Lighting control (bottom)Bottom view of the lighting module.

Tunnel moduleReal tunnel module in the V3 build.

CAD Render Gallery

V3 CAD render highlights

BEATBox V3 render — Full enclosure render.

Transparent BEATBox V3 render — Transparent view of the enclosure.

Automated feeder render — Feeder render.

Electronics Gallery

Controller boards, screens, and wiring details

Electronics screens detail 1 — Screens detail 1.

Electronics screens detail 2 — Screens detail 2.

Electronics photo 20260202 102651 — Electronics build photo.

Electronics photo 20260202 102731 — Electronics build photo.

Electronics photo 20260202 102829 — Electronics build photo.

Electronics photo 20260202 103036 — Electronics build photo.

Electronics photo 20260202 103042 — Electronics build photo.

Electronics photo 20260202 103049 — Electronics build photo.

Electronics photo 20260202 103053 — Electronics build photo.

Electronics photo 20260202 103204 — Electronics build photo.

Live Demo

In-lab recording

Short, real-life demo clip showing BEATBox in use.

Live demo GIF of BEATBox — Live demo: video_èdaniela_mini_gif.

Open-Source & Community

Open by design

BEATBox hardware and software are fully open-source, enabling inspection, adaptation, and replication across labs.

Modular, extensible hardware schematics and firmware
Transparent behavioral workflows and data formats
Clear interfaces for sensors, actuators, and task modules
Reproducible configurations with versioned components
Community review and iteration on protocols and data pipelines
Community-driven improvements and reproducibility

Build with the community (Coming soon)

Open-source collaboration visualization

Join a growing community of behavioral neuroscientists, method developers, and engineers shaping next-generation home-cage experimentation.

Open-Source Resources (Under construction)

Resources overview (GitHub)Under construction — hardware, firmware, software, docs (more coming soon)

DocumentationUnder construction — technical notes and guides (more coming soon)

Website READMESite development

NERB team

BEATBox is developed by the NERB team: Eric Burguiere, Lizbeth Mondragon-Gonzalez, Daniela Domingues. Learn more at nerb.team.

Contact

For the team: nerbmouse@gmail.com

Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon (CRNL), Located in: Centre Hospitalier Le Vinatier Address: CRNL - CH Le Vinatier - Bâtiment 462 - Neurocampus, 95 Bd Pinel, 69500 Bron

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Context & Scientific Background

BEATBox is an autonomous home-cage behavioral system that lets rodents live inside the experimental apparatus while continuously performing tasks.

By removing repeated handling, artificial session boundaries, and experimenter-driven timing, BEATBox preserves circadian rhythms, motivation, and long-term behavioral dynamics. The result is richer, more ecological data with higher reproducibility and lower animal stress.

BEATBox enables researchers to

Respect natural rhythms through fully autonomous task engagement

Run long-duration experiments (days to weeks) without repeated handling

Capture richer behavioral dynamics across circadian and motivational states

Implement complex operant conditioning procedures in an ecological context

Improve reproducibility through standardized, automated workflows

Align with the 3Rs (Reduction, Refinement, Replacement)

Reduce the number of animals required by increasing trials per subject and improving data quality

System Overview

24/7 Home-Cage Operant Conditioning

Continuous behavioral monitoring in a home-cage-like environment
Minimal experimenter intervention with autonomous task engagement
Modular hardware panels and task design
Built for long-term cognitive and motivational studies

Scientific Advantages

Ecological validity with longitudinal, high-power datasets

Ecological validity

Natural behavior is preserved by allowing animals to engage on their own schedule.

Longitudinal acquisition

Track behavioral dynamics across days and weeks with stable conditions.

High trial counts

Autonomous engagement increases the number of trials per subject.

Reduced stress

Minimal handling limits stress-related bias in behavioral readouts.

Higher statistical power

Richer within-subject datasets improve sensitivity and reproducibility.

Technical Architecture

Modular hardware with software-hardware co-design

Open-Source & Community

Open by design

BEATBox hardware and software are fully open-source, enabling inspection, adaptation, and replication across labs.

Modular, extensible hardware schematics and firmware
Transparent behavioral workflows and data formats
Clear interfaces for sensors, actuators, and task modules
Reproducible configurations with versioned components
Community review and iteration on protocols and data pipelines
Community-driven improvements and reproducibility

Build with the community (Coming soon)

Open-source collaboration visualization

Join a growing community of behavioral neuroscientists, method developers, and engineers shaping next-generation home-cage experimentation.