Dimensions¶
Measurements of the maze, including the published design this one started from.
Converted/ extracted dimensions of Rosenberg Maze¶
Whole maze dimensions Length: 609.6mm, Width: 609.6mm, Height (ie Floor to ceiling): 50.8mm
Ceiling thickness: 12.7mm Acrylic wall thickness: 3.175mm
Corridor width: 28.575mm
In their design. From the top of the maze to the bottom there are 15 panels. 609.5/15=40.63
Therefore each panel width is 40.63mm
To the first junction (the first T) there are 7 panels. So the first corridor is 284.41mm.
Turning into the arms of the T there are 3 panels on each side, meaning an arm length of 121.89
First plan, before building¶
These were the numbers worked out from the Rosenberg design before anything was made. They were superseded during construction: the section below is what the maze is actually built from.
Makerbeams: Height and width of 10mm. Variable length. They will be above and below the acrylic wall.
Acrylic wall height: 30.79mm
Acrylic wall panel length: 40mm
Acrylic wall panel thickness: Dependent on makerbeam T-slot.
Maker beams have optional lengths of 40mm premade, which is close to thee 40.63mm panels of the Rosenberg made, so we can alter the panel width to suit this.
To form a T-maze only, these are the number of parts needed.
Number of panels needed: 29
Number of (40mm) makerbeams needed: 58
Final part measurements used during construction¶
These are the parts as built, and as described in the maze paper.
Acrylic wall panels: 50 x 50 x 3 mm, or 100 x 50 x 3 mm (height x width x thickness). Cut from acrylic opaque to visible light but transparent under infrared. The taller panels were made to stop mice jumping out in uncovered experiments. The eight-arm auditory maze uses the 100 mm panels; the four-arm tactile maze uses the 50 mm ones.
Posts: MakerBeam XL, 15 x 15 mm black anodised aluminium, 50 mm or 100 mm long. A panel is as wide as the post spacing, so it seats into the T-slot of the post at each end.
Screws: M3 16mm, with an M3 nut used on the underside of the maze baseplate, one bolt and one nut per post. M6 bolts serve as the feet of the baseplate, one per corner, with a nut above and a nut below.
Baseplate Thickness: 10mm (Smaller thicknesses of ~7.5mm up would also work. Baseplate is 700mm by 700mm for the four-arm version, drilled with a grid of holes 50 mm apart. The resulting corridor width of 50 mm suits mice of a range of ages and sizes.
Infra-red camera used is found at this link, and the infra-red illuminator is a this link
The baseplate is fastened onto a table skeleton that raises the maze for illumination and recording from below. It is made from aluminium box section, with velcro between the baseplate and the beams so the maze lifts off. The beams fit together with plastic joints, and from the end of a joint to where the bar fits into it is 40 mm.
Frame: four legs of 880 mm, and four bars of 660 mm around the outside, secured with four plastic joints and four plastic feet.