Description

The biofargo 6-lane mouse treadmill (BF-HT320) is a motorized treadmill for standardized forced exercise in mice. A motor-driven belt keeps animals running while the operator sets speed, incline, duration and stimulation, so every mouse in a group receives the same exercise load. This is the main difference from voluntary running wheels, where each animal decides how far and how fast it runs.

Six independent lanes run side by side, and each lane has its own timing, shock grid and exhaustion criteria. Belt speed is adjustable from 1 to 100 m/min, the motorized incline covers ±30°, and runs can follow constant speed, uniform acceleration or stepped programs of up to 30 stages.

A 7-inch touch screen controls the treadmill without a pc. The system records running distance, running time and shock data for every lane, stores 500 experiments and exports results by usb as .csv files. It is suited to endurance testing, exercise training programs and exercise intervention studies in metabolic, cardiovascular, neuromuscular and aging research.

Specifications

Item	Specifications
Device type	Motorized mouse treadmill with 6 independent lanes
Model	BF-HT320
Animal compatibility	Mice
Lanes	6 lanes, each can be enabled, disabled, started or stopped independently
Controller	7-inch capacitive touch screen, 1024 × 600; standalone operation, no pc required; chinese/english interface
Speed	1–100 m/min, step 0.1 m/min
Motion modes	Constant speed, uniform acceleration/deceleration, stepped speed program (up to 30 stages)
Acceleration time	0.01–100 min, step 0.01 min
Experiment time	1–10,000 min
Incline	Motorized, ±30° (auto-set ±25° from the touch screen), with zero-point calibration
Electric stimulation	Constant-current pulse, 0.1–10 mA, step 0.1 mA; always on during runs
Light stimulation	Intensity 20–100, flicker 1–5,000 Hz; can be switched on or off
Sound stimulation	Intensity 20–100, frequency 1,000–10,000 Hz; can be switched on or off
Exhaustion criteria	Shock count (1–1,000), total shock time (0.1–1,000 s), single shock duration (0.1–100 s), running time (0.01–10,000 min), running distance (0.1–10,000 m); each can be switched on or off
Recorded data per lane	Running distance, running time, shock count, total shock time, time and distance to first shock, exhaustion state; mean and variance across active lanes
Data storage and export	500 experiments on the device; usb export as .csv; on-device playback of results and settings
Running area	340 × 490 mm (L × W)
Single lane	333 × 60 mm (L × W)
Shock grid (per lane)	43 × 77 mm
Overall dimensions	651 × 570 × 450 mm (L × W × H)
Construction	Clear acrylic lane covers with hinged lids; per-lane physical start/stop buttons

Why Researchers Choose This Mouse Treadmill

Six independent lanes: each lane is timed, stimulated and evaluated on its own, so six mice run in parallel while every result stays individual.
Programmable speed profiles: constant speed, uniform acceleration or deceleration, and stepped programs of up to 30 stages cover graded exercise tests and multi-stage training sessions.
Motorized incline: lane slope is set from the touch screen for uphill and downhill running protocols, with zero-point calibration.
Built-in motivation: a constant-current shock grid in each lane (0.1–10 mA), plus switchable light and sound stimulation.
Defined exhaustion endpoints: five criteria based on shock count, shock time, single shock duration, running time and distance end each lane at a consistent endpoint. Keeping the single shock duration limit on (within 5 s) is recommended for animal welfare.
Standalone touch-screen control: a 7-inch touch screen runs the treadmill without a pc, stores 500 experiments and exports them by usb as .csv files.
Per-lane control: lanes can be disabled before a run, started one by one during warm-up, and stopped individually from the screen or from the physical button on each lane.

Forced Treadmill vs. Voluntary Running Wheel vs. Swimming Test

Compare common mouse exercise models by load control, intensity, endpoint and data output.

Comparison	BF-HT320 6-lane treadmill	Voluntary running wheel	Swimming test
Exercise load	Speed, incline and duration set by the operator and identical for every lane	Set by the animal; varies between animals and nights	Not speed-controlled; effort depends on the animal
Intensity control	1–100 m/min, ±30° incline, constant, ramped or stepped programs	None	Limited (water temperature, added weight)
Endpoint definition	Five programmable exhaustion criteria per lane	No defined endpoint	Observer-scored immobility or exhaustion
Data recorded	Distance, time and shock data per lane, exported as .csv	Wheel revolutions or distance	Usually manual timing
Best suited for	Standardized forced-exercise training, endurance and exhaustion tests	Voluntary activity and circadian studies	Swimming-based endurance or stress protocols

Applications

Endurance and fatigue research: aerobic exercise, exhaustive exercise models and anti-fatigue compound screening.
Metabolic disease models: exercise interventions in obesity, hyperlipidemia and insulin resistance studies.
Rehabilitation research: exercise training after stroke or spinal cord injury in mouse models.
Cardiovascular research: exercise preconditioning in myocardial ischemia and heart failure models.
Muscle research: exercise tolerance in skeletal muscle injury and muscular dystrophy models.
Aging research: exercise capacity and fitness decline in aged mice.

FAQ

What is the BF-HT320 used for?

It is a 6-lane motorized treadmill for forced exercise training and endurance or exhaustion testing in mice. Speed, incline, duration and stimulation are set by the operator, so every animal in a group receives the same exercise load.

How many mice can run at the same time?

Up to six. Each lane can be enabled or disabled separately, so smaller groups can also be run.

What speed and incline range does the treadmill support?

Belt speed is adjustable from 1 to 100 m/min in 0.1 m/min steps. The motorized incline covers ±30°, and angles up to ±25° can be set directly from the touch screen.

How is exhaustion determined?

Five criteria can be switched on: shock count, total shock time, single shock duration, running time and running distance. When a lane meets any active criterion, that lane stops recording and its stimulation is switched off.

Can the electric stimulation be switched off?

No. The constant-current shock grid stays active during runs and is adjustable from 0.1 to 10 mA. Light and sound stimulation can be switched on or off.

Does the treadmill need a computer?

No. The treadmill is operated from its 7-inch touch screen. Results are stored on the device and exported by usb as .csv files.

Is a rat version available?

Yes. A 6-lane rat version and a 5-lane mouse and rat version are available on request. Contact biofargo for pricing and lead time.

Need a quote, bulk pricing, a tax-exempt po, or distributor pricing? Contact the biofargo team.

For research use only. Not intended for diagnostic or therapeutic use.

6-Lane Mouse Treadmill with Electric, Light and Sound Stimulation