The Prizmatix Rotary Joint is an extremely low friction fiber optic rotary joint which enable the transmission of LED light to freely moving animals in Optogenetic experiments.
The Rotary Joint [3] couples a large core polymer fiber [2] (which deliver light from an LED light source [1]) to a small core fiber [4] which connects to an implanted fiber optic probe or cannula.
The rotary joint allows for free movement of both the animal and the fiber optic cables with a minimum of torque while maintaining excellent light transmission.
The concept of light delivery from thick to thin core fibers enables the use of several thin fibers simultaneously. This makes it possible to use a Y shaped fiber bundle to deliver light to separate areas of the brain simultaneously without loss of power. This is useful for bilateral experiments.
The new and improved Prizmatix Rotary Joint can be used with both Prizmatix LEDs and lasers. When using Prizmatix LEDs and high NA fibers the rotary joint can be used for bilateral experiments. For use with laser, please apeak with our sales consultant about compatible fibers to ensure correct configuration and best performance.
Technical Details: Prizmatix Product Page
Download Spec Sheet: Optogenetics Rotary Joint
Posted by Calu Lab on 10th Jan 2017
These small, lightweight rotary joints with dual FC/FC connectors allow nice freedom of movement for rat. Our favorite feature is that there are no proprietary connectors, which is a major plus as it gives investigator flexibility on both ends. A tad tricky to connect FC on output side, as it rotates while connecting FC on patch, but after mentioning this to excellent support team, Prizmatix provided a youtube instructional video to mitigate difficulty connecting patches mentioned above.Good light coupling, minimal loss using LED or laser.