Design and construction of treadmills for mice and rats

Exercise includes physical activities that accelerate metabolism, both in natural environments and using tools and equipment that have been increasingly diversified in recent years. Mice and rats, which are experimental animals used in medical research and tests, have been widely used in recent years. In many of the experimental studies, exercise studies conducted on mice and rats are one of the most widely used methods. In this thesis study, the design and production of a new generation programmable treadmill with transparent tracks and adjustable running slopes at different angles, which allows mice and rats to run at constant or variable speeds for exercise purposes and allows more than one animal to run steadily without running away, is aimed. The 3D design of the treadmill was drawn in a computer environment and the necessary parts were determined. The software and hardware products to be used in the treadmill design were produced and their assembly and assembly were completed. After the checks, the metal body produced according to the 3D design drawn for the software and hardware products was painted with electrostatic powder paint suitable for laboratory conditions. After the assembly of the treadmill was completed after painting, timed speed tests were performed to calibrate speed, incline and distance. In addition, an exercise test was performed with 8 experimental animals to verify that the device works safely and stably and to observe it qualitatively.