Easy-to-use Windows software for focal and multiple animal tracking and behavior analysis. Free demo software allows you to test that the software will work for your application also. Use any camera system to record digital (.avi) video files. Then run the DV6 software on your own PC to analyze the behavior of anything from micro organisms to large adult animals, e.g. in micro-plates, mazes, open field tanks, home cages, flume tanks, aquariums etc.

Typical applications:
– Focal animal in a single arena, e.g. open field test.
- Focal animal in 1-24 arenas, e.g. 24-well micro-plate (one animal per well).
– Pair of animals, e.g. inter individual distance.
– Orientation of focal animal with two markers, e.g. head and rear.
– Multiple animals each with a different colored markers, e.g. red, green, blue etc.

Calculated behavior parameters:
-Active/Inactive time
-Velocity
-Acceleration
-Direction of movement
-Distance moved
-Direction of orientation
-Turning rate
-Time spend in zones
- Number of visits in zones
- Number of contacts to points of interest

Tracking principle:
Operates on the principle of contrast (color or b/w), i.e. the object to be tracked is placed against a contrasting background and the software assigns a x, y coordinate pair to the centroid of the contrasting object.

Features:
Batch file analysis for multiple trials
Create video file with behavior data overlay
Define zones and points of interest
Save all settings in files, e.g. zones, masks, POIs, thresholds etc. Removes undesirable objects/areas with mask tool
Calibrate data in metres, cm or millimetres.
Time-stamped data saved in Excel compatible *.txt file
Raw data file with X,Y-positions only
Analysis data file with summary and calculated parameters

Specifications:
Input video file format: .AVI
OS: Win7/Vista/XP
PC: min. 4GB RAM and 2-core 2 gHz CPU.

Included:
Software installation USB key
USB dongle (one license for a limited number of PCs only)
User manual

Optional equipment
If you need a video camera for research applications, we offer quality megapixel cameras for GigE or USB interface, and a range of lenses.

The DS-TEMP Shuttle Box System for Temperature is an automated system for determining the preferred water temperature of aquatic invertebrates or fish.  It includes everything needed for video behavior analysis, data acquisition and digital control of devices.

Inside an experimental tank the animal can freely “shuttle” between two sub compartments with opposite acting controls, to regulate water temperature to preferred values through behavior.

The tank design allows for independent control of water quality in the two sub compartments, and is made special to match the type and size of your specimens.

Features:

• Turn-key system including everything needed
• ShuttleSoft software for Windows
• Research-grade video camera equipment
• Real-time video tracking and behavioral analysis
• USB data acquisition and digital relay control of pumps/valves
• Rugged temperature instruments and sensors
• Change settings and controls on-the-fly

Consider upgrading this system to also measure preferred water salinity or oxygen saturation (ask us for a quote).

Shuttle Box Setup

Included:

• Shuttle Box (customer-specified dimensions)
• ShuttleSoft software (one license for a limited number of PCs only)
• Ueye 1640-C video camera (1280×1024), lens and USB cable
• DAQ-S instrument for 16-bit data acquisition and digital relay control
• Two water temperature systems (excl. chiller/heater)
• Two accessory sets for temperature control
• Two inline probe chambers
• Two buffer tanks
• Pump, tubing and fittings
• User manual

Note: we offer special packages for (exposure) tests keeping water quality at set point levels during the experiment independent of fish behavior, and for multiple parameters, e.g. temperature and oxygen etc.

DS-Salinity Shuttle Box System is an automated system for determining the preferred water salinity of aquatic invertebrates or fish.  It includes everything needed for video behavior analysis, data acquisition and digital control of devices.

Inside an experimental tank the animal can freely “shuttle” between two sub compartments with opposite acting controls, to regulate water salinity to preferred values through behavior.

The tank design allows for independent control of water quality in the two sub compartments, and is made special to match the type and size of your specimens.

• Shuttle Box (customer-specified dimensions)
• ShuttleSoft software (one license for a limited number of PCs only)
• Ueye 1640-C video camera (1280×1024), lens and USB cable
• DAQ-S instrument for 16-bit data acquisition and digital relay control
• Two WTW 3310 conductivity instruments incl. TetraCon 325 probes
• Four pumps with tubing and fittings
• Two inline probe chambers
• Two buffer tanks
• Pumps, tubing and fittings
• User manual

NB: we offer special packages for (exposure) tests keeping water quality at set point levels during the experiment independent of fish behavior, and for multiple parameters, e.g. temperature and oxygen etc.

Features:

• Turn-key system including everything needed
• ShuttleSoft software for Windows
• Research-grade video camera equipment
• Real-time video tracking and behavioral analysis
• USB data acqusition and digital relay control of pumps/valves
• Rugged conductivity instruments and sensors form German WTW
• Change settings and controls on-the-fly

Consider upgrading this system to also measure preferred water temperature or oxygen (ask us for a quote).

Shuttle Box Setup

DS-OXYGEN Shuttle Box System is an automated system for determining the preferred oxygen saturation of aquatic invertebrates or fish.  It includes everything needed for video behavior analysis, data acquisition and digital control of devices.

Inside an experimental tank the animal can freely “shuttle” between two sub compartments with opposite acting controls, to regulate water oxygen saturation to preferred values through behavior.

The tank design allows for independent control of water quality in the two sub compartments, and is made special to match the type and size of your specimens.

Included:

• Shuttle Box (customer-specified dimensions)
• ShuttleSoft software (one license for a limited number of PCs only)
• DAQ-S instrument for 16-bit data acquisition and digital relay control
• Ueye 1640-C video camera (1280×1024), lens and USB cable
• Two D202 oxygen analyzer & regulator systems
• Two accessory sets for gas control
• Two inline oxygen probe chambers
• Two gas reactors
• Pumps, tubing, fittings
• User manual

NB: we offer special packages for (exposure) tests keeping water quality at set point levels during the experiment independent of fish behavior, and for multiple parameters, e.g. temperature and oxygen etc.

Features:

• Turn-key system including everything needed
• ShuttleSoft software for Windows
• Research-grade video camera equipment
• Real-time video tracking and behavioral analysis
• USB data acquisition and digital relay control of pumps/valves
• Rugged oxygen sensors and measuring instruments
• Change settings and controls on-the-fly

Consider upgrading this system to also measure preferred water temperature or salinity (ask us for a quote).

Shuttle Box Setup

We offer standard and customer-specified water tanks (DVC Test Tanks) for testing aquatic animal behavior in different controlled environments.

Use our standard tanks to test the behavior of animals moving freely between zones of different water temperature, oxygen, salinity, turbidity, pollutants etc. It is also possible to set up a combination of different environmental effects, e.g. simultaneous exposure to increased temperatures and oxygen depletion.

Included:

• External buffer tanks for water quality control
• Pumps
• Tubing
• Fittings

We offer 2 different tank designs:

• An 8-figure shaped Shuttle tank in which an animal can shuttle between two compartments via a short passage. Water is slowly rotating inside each sub compartment preventing any mixing of water between the two. The shuttle tank is made special to match the size and type of experimental animal, ie. from mosquito larvae, to marine invertebrates or adult fish.

• A Choice tank with a square 35×40 cm test section inside which animals have a choice between two slow flowing (recti-linear) water columns of different water quality. It is not possible to change the dimensions of the Choice tank, or to use water with differences in density (e.g. temperature, salinity), since this will destroy the horizontal separation of flows.

For quote or advice on instruments and sensors needed to monitor and regulate water quality (temperature, oxygen, salinity, CO2, pH, turbidity etc.) in the choice tanks, please contact us.

Example of Setup

Flow Visualization with Red Dye in Choice Tank

DV5 Daniotrack Video Tracking Software is easy-to-use software for automated behavioral analysis of multiple unmarked objects from AVI video files.  DanioTRACK software can be used to quantify behavior of single individuals, pairs or groups of animals, thereby avoiding time consuming frame-by-frame analysis.

Features:

• Analyze behavior of multiple unmarked animals
• Writes behavioral data to Excel data file
• Mask tool for undesirable areas
• User-defined zones of interest
• Calibrate pixels to m, cm or mm

Standard Calculated Parameters:

• Distance moved
• Velocity (actual, maximum, average)
• Acceleration (actual, maximum)
• Angle
• Change in direction
• Time spent in motion
• Turning rate (lateralised behavior)

Specifications:

• Software operates on the principle of background estimation
• Input – AVI files
• Software DOES NOT record video, it analyzes pre-recorded AVI files
• Hardware requirements: WinXP/Vista PC with minimum 2 GB RAM and 3 GHz processor

Included:

• Software installation CD
• USB dongle for software copy protection
• User manual

 Tracking with Zones

Easy Mask Tool

Automatic Object Counting

DV5 Video Tracking Software (DEMO VERSION – 72 Mb)
This demonstration version will allow you to become familiar with the Video Tracking Software, but will not provide time-stamped position data.

• Will not save track data
• Only works for 30 days
• Choose free trial when installing

DV1 Video Tracking Software is an affordable easy-to-use tracking software for automated video analysis of behavior in a wide range of setups such as mazes, open fields, home cages, swim tests, activity/preference/shuttle boxes, etc.  Operates on the principle of contrast, i.e. the object to be tracked is placed against a contrasting background and the software assigns an x, y coordinate pair to the centroid of the contrasting object.  Offers real-time tracking or from prerecorded video.

Features:

• Affordable user-friendly software for non-engineers
• Track animal position in 2D
• Multiple video inputs, e.g. DV, files (AVI) and analog video (VHS, VCR, camcorder)
• Track during experiments (real-time) or after (AVI)
• Operates on the principle of contrast(colors)
• Mask tool removes undesirable objects/areas
• Position data in pixels or calibrated units (cm, mm etc.)
• Data in pixels or calibrated units (cm, mm etc)
• Time-stamped X,Y-coordinates and calculated data saved in simple *.txt file
• Velocity, Acceleration, Distance moved, Active time, Angle, Zone

Included:

• 1 x Software Installation CD
• 1 x USB Dongle (one license for a limited number of PCs)
• 1 x User Manual

Hardware requirements

• PC with Windows XP/Vista/7 and min 4GB  RAM, dual core >3 GHz CPU