Developing and testing an Arduino-based microcurrent stimulator to mimic marine electric pollution on benthos
The lack of economic funds commonly represents a limiting factor in scientific research and prevents scientists from developing brilliant ideas. Indeed, a new project may involve using appropriate scientific instruments and concurrently dealing with the costs before pursuing new research fields. The...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Heliyon |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844023104890 |
| _version_ | 1797337067245535232 |
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| author | Davide Lattanzi Marica Pagliarini Federica Rebecchi Fabrizio Frontalini Patrizia Ambrogini |
| author_facet | Davide Lattanzi Marica Pagliarini Federica Rebecchi Fabrizio Frontalini Patrizia Ambrogini |
| author_sort | Davide Lattanzi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The lack of economic funds commonly represents a limiting factor in scientific research and prevents scientists from developing brilliant ideas. Indeed, a new project may involve using appropriate scientific instruments and concurrently dealing with the costs before pursuing new research fields. The innovative concept of investigating the effects of electric fields, as a simulation of marine electrical pollution, on benthic organisms such as foraminifera (marine protozoa) has been recently explored by our research group. This pioneering research has resulted in the development of a cost-effective instrument capable of generating customized electric stimulation patterns with accuracy and reliability. Here, we describe the construction of a low-intensity electrical stimulator based on an Arduino programmable board and a few electronic components. The instrument results very stable and precise regarding the stimulation times and the regulation of the current intensity applied to the biological preparation. Moreover, the setup can stimulate the preparation in constant or pulsed direct current. This homemade stimulation apparatus can be improved or modified according to the researchers’ needs, as possibilities and fields of application can be innumerable. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T09:04:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fd049cfcfc974c32acff5c1ce2b1429b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2405-8440 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T09:04:03Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Heliyon |
| spelling | doaj.art-fd049cfcfc974c32acff5c1ce2b1429b2024-02-01T06:31:19ZengElsevierHeliyon2405-84402024-01-01101e23281Developing and testing an Arduino-based microcurrent stimulator to mimic marine electric pollution on benthosDavide Lattanzi0Marica Pagliarini1Federica Rebecchi2Fabrizio Frontalini3Patrizia Ambrogini4Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, 61029 Urbino, Italy; Corresponding author.Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, 61029 Urbino, ItalyDepartment of Pure and Applied Sciences, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, 61029 Urbino, ItalyDepartment of Pure and Applied Sciences, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, 61029 Urbino, ItalyDepartment of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, 61029 Urbino, ItalyThe lack of economic funds commonly represents a limiting factor in scientific research and prevents scientists from developing brilliant ideas. Indeed, a new project may involve using appropriate scientific instruments and concurrently dealing with the costs before pursuing new research fields. The innovative concept of investigating the effects of electric fields, as a simulation of marine electrical pollution, on benthic organisms such as foraminifera (marine protozoa) has been recently explored by our research group. This pioneering research has resulted in the development of a cost-effective instrument capable of generating customized electric stimulation patterns with accuracy and reliability. Here, we describe the construction of a low-intensity electrical stimulator based on an Arduino programmable board and a few electronic components. The instrument results very stable and precise regarding the stimulation times and the regulation of the current intensity applied to the biological preparation. Moreover, the setup can stimulate the preparation in constant or pulsed direct current. This homemade stimulation apparatus can be improved or modified according to the researchers’ needs, as possibilities and fields of application can be innumerable.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844023104890PrototypeLow-cost microcurrent deviceBiological modelElectric stimulation |
| spellingShingle | Davide Lattanzi Marica Pagliarini Federica Rebecchi Fabrizio Frontalini Patrizia Ambrogini Developing and testing an Arduino-based microcurrent stimulator to mimic marine electric pollution on benthos Heliyon Prototype Low-cost microcurrent device Biological model Electric stimulation |
| title | Developing and testing an Arduino-based microcurrent stimulator to mimic marine electric pollution on benthos |
| title_full | Developing and testing an Arduino-based microcurrent stimulator to mimic marine electric pollution on benthos |
| title_fullStr | Developing and testing an Arduino-based microcurrent stimulator to mimic marine electric pollution on benthos |
| title_full_unstemmed | Developing and testing an Arduino-based microcurrent stimulator to mimic marine electric pollution on benthos |
| title_short | Developing and testing an Arduino-based microcurrent stimulator to mimic marine electric pollution on benthos |
| title_sort | developing and testing an arduino based microcurrent stimulator to mimic marine electric pollution on benthos |
| topic | Prototype Low-cost microcurrent device Biological model Electric stimulation |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844023104890 |
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