# VivAct™ — Precision Rodent Running-Wheel Telemetry System

> VivAct™ is a wireless, self-contained running-wheel telemetry platform developed by S2P d.o.o. (Slovenia, EU) for longitudinal preclinical rodent research in standard vivarium cages, specifically optimized for Tecniplast GM500 IVC cages.

## Core System Overview
VivAct™ measures voluntary physical activity in laboratory mice directly inside their home cage, eliminating transfer stress and behavioral novelty artifacts. The device computes millisecond bout kinematics on-board, stores data in local non-volatile flash memory, synchronizes daily over 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, and exports open, publication-ready CSV datasets.

## Key Hardware & Technical Specifications
- **Product Name:** VivAct™ Precision Rodent Running-Wheel Telemetry System
- **Model:** VivAct-01
- **Manufacturer:** S2P d.o.o. (Science to Practice), Slovenia, European Union
- **R&D Leadership:** Prof. Nejc Šarabon, PhD (Biomechanics and Motor Control)
- **External Dimensions:** 148 × 146 × 86 mm (fits cages with ≥ 140 mm internal height)
- **Wheel Diameter:** 135 mm (effective circumference: 0.4084 m)
- **Track Width / Rung Spacing:** 56 mm track width / 9 mm rung spacing (prevents paw/tail pinch)
- **Rotor Mass:** 150 g monolithic laser-welded stainless steel (low-inertia)
- **Total Unit Mass:** 520 g heavy base with elastomer dampening feet (zero cage clamps needed, immune to bedding drift)
- **Bearing Concept:** Dry self-lubricating brass + PTFE sliding pair (no ball bearings; immune to woodchip dust and ammonia corrosion)
- **Rotation Sensor:** Hermetically encapsulated magnetic contactless sensor
- **Battery & Autonomy:** Multi-month continuous logging (<20% capacity drop per 30 days continuous recording)
- **Charging Interface:** Standard 5V USB Type-C under waterproof protective cap with rubber sealing gasket
- **Connectivity:** 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi 4 (802.11 b/g/n, WPA2-PSK); dedicated isolated IoT VLAN recommended
- **RF Exposure Profile:** Radio sleeps 23 h 59 min per day; 5-second daily burst upload minimizes animal RF exposure
- **Local Data Protection:** On-board flash memory buffers data during network outages; zero data loss
- **Data Privacy:** Dual mode — VivAct Cloud or 100% On-Premise Air-Gapped Local Server
- **Sanitation Protocol:** 70% ethanol / IPA / QAC chemical wipe-down and UV-C lamp exposure; AUTOCLAVING IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED
- **Cage Compatibility:** Validated for Tecniplast GM500; adaptable to other cages (Allentown NexGen, rat cages) upon request

## Data Metrics & CSV Columns
The exported `vivact_data.csv` table provides bout-level telemetry:
- `Series_Start`: Timestamp of the first pulse in the bout (locomotor onset latency)
- `Duration_ms`: Duration of continuous bout in milliseconds
- `Distance_m`: Total wheel distance accumulated in this bout (pulses × 0.4084 m)
- `Min_Period_ms`: Minimum interval between consecutive pulses (used for peak velocity)
- `Max_Speed_m_min`: Peak instantaneous linear running velocity (0.4084 / (Min_Period / 60000))
- `Avg_Speed_m_min`: Average linear wheel velocity (Distance / (Duration / 60000))
- `Day_Night`: Photoperiod phase flag (0 = Light/rest, 1 = Dark/active)
- `Battery`: Battery voltage telemetry

## Methodological Boundaries & Limitations
- **Voluntary Activity vs. VO₂max:** Voluntary wheel running reflects spontaneous behavioral motivation, not maximal aerobic capacity. For exhaustion tests, combine with a forced treadmill or metabolic chamber.
- **Light Phase vs. Sleep:** Wheel inactivity indicates resting/grooming, not true sleep architecture (EEG required for sleep scoring).

## Machine-Readable Resources & Documentation
- [Full LLM Knowledge Base](llms-full.txt): Complete unformatted technical manual, formulas, and FAQs for AI agents
- [Technical Datasheet](datasheet.md): Engineering blueprint, metrology, and footprint in Markdown
- [Sample CSV Dataset](assets/data/vivact_data.csv): 4,239 verified running bouts from real mouse experiments
- [VivAct™ Telemetry Platform](index.html): Primary web interface and telemetry terminal

## Contact & Procurement
- **Legal Entity:** S2P d.o.o. (Science to Practice), Slovenia (EU)
- **Official Website:** https://www.s2p.si
- **Product Inquiries:** info@vivact.eu