A combination of Raspberry Pi and SoftEther VPN for controlling research devices via the Internet

Kuroda (2017) shows how to run operant boxes from home.

He plugs a $50 Raspberry Pi into the chamber. A free VPN app lets any web browser flip levers or drop pellets.

No data on rats or people—just a recipe you can build tonight.

The setup works. You can start, stop, and check sessions on your phone.

Cost stays tiny: one Pi board, free software, and your lab Wi-Fi.

Gurley (2019) takes the same Pi heart and adds a full chamber. They bolt on nose-poke ports and touchscreens, then prove rats learn in the cheap box. Kuroda gives remote control; Gurley gives the whole rig.

Braam et al. (2008) also cuts cost. Their $25 infrared beam checks if a pellet really fell. Pair it with Kuroda’s VPN and you get both remote run and honest pellet counts.

Old papers sing the same tune. Hulse (1960) published a lick-triggered liquid feeder, DAVIS (1961) shared a drinkometer circuit, and ZIMMERMAELLIOTT et al. (1962) printed plans for a combo lever-feeder. Sixty years later, Kuroda swaps solder for Pi and keeps the DIY spirit alive.

If your lab budget is tight, you can still run after-hours sessions. Build the Pi box, add Gurley’s open-source chamber, and throw in the pellet sensor from W et al. You get a remote, verifiable setup for under $300. Perfect for thesis students or small clinics that need data without buying costly commercial gear.