Designing an Apparatus for Precision Mouse Jaw Measurements and Movements

Abstract

U-M researchers in the School of Dentistry and School of Medicine study the relationship between physical stimuli in a test subject and neural activity in the mouse jaw region, which will help translate usable data to a human scale. There is thus a need for a device that will produce repeatable and reliable displacement and force measurements, replacing the existing testing procedure utilizing hand-held tools with many sources of variability. Our project aims to develop a fully integrated mechatronics prototype that meets functionality, usability, and safety requirements determined through stakeholder engagement with project sponsors.