An Inexpensive Open-Source Chamber for Controlled Hypoxia/Hyperoxia Exposure

Area of Science:

• Physiology
• Biomedical Engineering
• Animal Models

Background:

• Hypoxia/hyperoxia exposure is crucial for studying conditions like hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and stroke.
• Existing commercial hypoxia chambers are expensive, proprietary, and often limited to single-animal use.
• Varied hypoxia protocols across labs hinder reproducibility in animal model studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a low-cost, customizable hypoxia/hyperoxia exposure chamber.
• To enable reproducible and transparent data acquisition for extended or intermittent exposures.
• To provide a scalable system using open-source hardware and software.

Main Methods:

• Utilized off-the-shelf components for chamber construction.
• Integrated open-source software for environmental monitoring and data acquisition (O2, temp, humidity, etc.).
• Developed Python scripts for data logging and analysis, compatible with standard hardware.

Main Results:

• Successfully built a scalable hypoxia chamber accommodating multiple animal cages.
• Achieved continuous, reproducible environmental control and data logging for up to 7 days.
• Demonstrated the system's flexibility for various hypoxia/hyperoxia exposure protocols.

Conclusions:

• The developed Free-Libre and Open-Source Software (FLOSS) system offers a cost-effective alternative to commercial hypoxia chambers.
• This customizable chamber enhances experimental consistency and reproducibility in hypoxia research.
• The system supports diverse research needs through its adaptable design and open-source nature.