Diego Hassan Mediane · 2024
Anastasiades Lab · Cahill Lab
Step-by-step animated assembly · Rotate · Zoom · Explode view · No software required
8-page illustrated step-by-step guide · Opens in browser
The Three-Chamber Mouse Apparatus is a fully removable, slot-fit enclosure designed for rodent social interaction and behavioural testing. The apparatus is fabricated from IR-transparent black acrylic and assembled without glue, magnets, or screws on the main box structure — all panels slot into the base and can be removed again for cleaning or reconfiguration.
The only permanently glued components are the cup cage sub-assemblies. The only screws in the entire system are the two lid pivot screws, one per cup.
- ✅ Fully removable — all wall panels lift out of the base slots
- ✅ IR-transparent acrylic — compatible with infrared tracking systems
- ✅ Three-chamber design — left, centre, and right chambers separated by two partition walls with arched mouse passages
- ✅ Integrated cup cages — cylindrical barred chambers with rotating lids, seated in base recesses
- ✅ One-person assembly — no specialist tools required
- ✅ 3D-printable corner clips — the only non-acrylic structural components (besides rods and screws)
- ✅ Open hardware — design files included
Most of this apparatus can be built with standard workshop tools. Here is what each part actually needs:
| Part | What's needed |
|---|---|
| Base (A) | Workshop/CNC required — four features need precision routing or milling: (1) the continuous perimeter wall slot around the inner edge (accepts all four outer walls), (2) two internal partition slots running full depth, (3) two Ø 102 mm cup recesses near the back wall. These slots and wells must be cut to exact width and depth — this is the only part that truly needs specialist cutting. |
| Partition walls (D) | Standard workshop — the arched mouse passage can be cut with a jigsaw or bandsaw and sanded smooth |
| Wall panels (B, C) | Simple straight cuts from IR acrylic sheet — table saw or circular saw |
| Perforated plates (F, H) | Drill press — evenly spaced holes around the circumference |
| Lid disc (I) | Drill press — single hole near the edge |
| All other parts | Standard cuts from sheet |
Recommended material: IR-transparent black acrylic (e.g. Perspex Black 9T31 or equivalent).
Sheet thicknesses: 20 mm (base), 10 mm (walls), 5 mm (partitions + cup discs), 3 mm (lid).
| Component | Dimension |
|---|---|
| Base panel | 640 × 440 × 20 mm |
| Inner floor area | 600 × 400 mm |
| Front / back wall | 620 × 230 × 10 mm |
| Side (lateral) wall | 400 × 230 × 10 mm |
| Partition wall | 410 × 230 × 5 mm |
| Mouse passage opening | 100 mm wide, R80 mm arch |
| Left chamber floor width | 197.5 mm |
| Centre chamber floor width | 195 mm |
| Right chamber floor width | 197.5 mm |
| Cup cage outer diameter | Ø 102 mm |
| Cup cage height (approx.) | ≈ 150 mm |
| ID | Part | Qty | Material |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Base Panel | 1 | IR black acrylic |
| B | Front / Back Wall Panel | 2 | IR black acrylic |
| C | Side (Lateral) Wall Panel | 2 | IR black acrylic |
| D | Partition Wall | 2 | IR black acrylic |
| E | Cup Bottom Disc | 2 | IR black acrylic |
| F | Lower Perforated Rod Plate | 2 | IR black acrylic |
| G | Upper Plain Ring | 2 | IR black acrylic |
| H | Upper Perforated Rod Ring | 2 | IR black acrylic |
| I | Rotating Lid Disc | 2 | IR black acrylic |
| J | Metal Rods | ~24 | Steel |
| K | Lid Screw | 2 | Steel |
| L | Corner Retaining Clip | 4 | 3D-printed |
📄 Full dimensions and specifications: BOM.md
📖 Full step-by-step visual manual: assembly_manual.html
Assembly is split into two phases: cup assembly (done once, permanently glued) and box assembly (fully removable, slot-fit).
Glue is used only in this phase.
Step 1 │ Place Cup Bottom Disc (E) flat
Step 2 │ Place Lower Perforated Rod Plate (F) on E → glue F onto E
│ Insert metal rods (J) through perforations — rods stand vertically
Step 3 │ Glue Upper Perforated Rod Ring (H) onto Upper Plain Ring (G)
│ → forms combined top frame G+H
Step 4 │ Lower G+H top frame onto standing rods
│ Glue rods into H → cage becomes rigid unit
Step 5 │ Place Rotating Lid Disc (I) on top
│ Secure with ONE Lid Screw (K) near the EDGE (not centre)
│ Lid rotates (twists) around this single screw — do not centre it
Step 1 │ Place Base Panel (A) on flat surface
│ Locate cup recesses (near back wall) and partition slots
Step 2 │ Insert both Partition Walls (D) vertically into internal slots
│ Arched mouse passages face inward and are centred on each wall
Step 3 │ Insert Front and Back Wall Panels (B) into perimeter slot
Step 4 │ Insert both Side (Lateral) Wall Panels (C) into perimeter slot
Step 5 │ Press Corner Retaining Clips (L) onto all four outer corners
Step 6 │ Lower completed Cup Assemblies (E–I) into the two circular recesses
│ Cups rest by gravity — no locking tabs
✅ Assembly complete.
Reverse the assembly sequence:
1 │ Rotate Lid Disc (I) open around edge screw (K)
2 │ Lift Cup Assemblies out of base recesses
3 │ Remove Corner Retaining Clips (L) from corners
4 │ Lift Side Walls (C) out of perimeter slot
5 │ Lift Front/Back Walls (B) out of perimeter slot
6 │ Lift Partition Walls (D) out of internal slots
⚠️ Cup assemblies (E–I) are permanently glued units — do not attempt to disassemble them.
Wipe all acrylic surfaces with a damp cloth. No solvent cleaners.
Three-Chamber-Mouse-Apparatus/
│
├── 📄 README.md ← You are here
├── 📄 LICENCE.md ← Custom BY-NC + mandatory citation licence
├── 📄 BOM.md ← Full bill of materials with dimensions
├── 📖 assembly_manual.html ← Complete visual step-by-step manual (open in browser)
│
├── 📐 drawings/
│ ├── Base.pdf ← Base panel technical drawing
│ ├── BACK_AND_FRONT_WALL.pdf ← Front/back wall drawing
│ ├── LATERAL_WALLS.pdf ← Side wall drawing
│ ├── PARTITION_WALL.pdf ← Partition wall drawing
│ ├── CUPS.pdf ← Cup components drawing
│ ├── corner_lid_with_measurements.pdf ← Corner clip technical drawing
│ ├── Components.pdf ← All components overview
│ ├── Conceptual_1.pdf ← Conceptual view
│ └── Dismounted.pdf ← Dismounted view
│
├── 🧊 3d_model/
│ ├── Three_Chamber_Github.obj ← Full apparatus 3D mesh (OBJ format)
│ ├── Three_Chamber_Github.mtl ← Material definitions
│ └── Corner_lid.obj ← Corner retaining clip — print × 4
│
└── 🌐 viewer/
└── (see live viewer below)
This project is released under a Custom Attribution Non-Commercial Licence.
- ✅ Free to use for academic and research purposes
- ✅ Free to modify and share
- ❌ Cannot be used commercially in any form
- 📎 Citation is mandatory for any academic use, publication, or derivative work
See LICENCE.md for full terms.
This tool was developed as part of a broader project on behavioural neuroscience. Special thanks to Dr Riccardo Avvisati and Dr Daniel Titheradge for their guidance and support during the design of the experimental apparatus.
If you use this apparatus or any part of it in your research, you must cite:
@misc{mediane2024threechamber,
author = {Mediane, Diego Hassan},
title = {Three-Chamber Mouse Apparatus},
year = {2024},
howpublished = {\url{https://github.com/diego-mediane/Three-Chamber-Mouse-Apparatus}},
note = {Anastasiades Lab · Cahill Lab}
}Plain text:
Mediane, D. H. (2024). Three-Chamber Mouse Apparatus. GitHub. https://github.com/diego-mediane/Three-Chamber-Mouse-Apparatus
Designed and developed by Diego Hassan Mediane (2024) in the context of the Anastasiades Lab and Cahill Lab.