CORE CentriTower system

The CentriTower is a top-quality lens system designed to deliver high-resolution video images with zero parallax error and zero lens distortion in well plates or similar-sized vessels (e.g., petri dish).

LoliTrack 5 is a super fast and intuitive Windows software for 2D and 3D video tracking and behavior analysis of multiple and focal animals based on contrast or background subtraction, i.e., no markers are needed. This major upgraded version features many improvements and additions as well as a much better and faster tracking performance on regular PCs.

LoliTrack 5 works with most cameras and video file formats and can track organisms of any shape or size in one or multiple arenas. The program includes a video recording and editing tool, graphs, heat maps, and can export video or image files with data overlay or Excel data files with user-defined output.

A unique feature is that LoliTrack 5 can track numerous animals inside a single arena – even if the objects have the same (or different) shape, color and size. It can handle occlusions (e.g., collisions or crossing paths), and applications where animals can hide or move out of view. Any tracking errors are easily identified and corrected, if required. The user can pick out individual animals for tracking and analysis rather than having to track all of them. User-defined time intervals can be omitted or included for tracking.

With two cameras or files (stereo-technique) this software offers true 3D video tracking of focal animals in air or in water taking into account the air-to-water light transmission. Digital 3D models of trajectories can be exported in different formats for further visualizing or analysis in other software packages.

Other applications include tracking organisms in 24-, 48- or 96-well microtiter plates for fast screening of activity levels or locomotion (e.g., for toxicological or biomedical assays). User-defined treatments can be added to aid statistical analysis.

LoliTrack 5 can identify specific body points (tail, head, midline center, center of gravity) and track these for studying kinematics (tail beat frequency, body oscillations, etc.) or specific behaviors (direction of orientation or movement, turning rate etc.).

Any number of user-defined zones of interest can be applied, in order to score behavior in and out of these in an automated way. 

A free demo version of the software allows you to test if LoliTrack 5 will work for your application and with your own videos. Alternatively, we offer free analysis and advice if you send us a video clip as we want to make sure that the software works for your application too!

For video tracking example files, click here. For LoliTrack 5 FAQ, click here.

Calculated parameters:

• X,Y coordinates for front, back, center of midline, and center of gravity
• Distance moved
• Speed and Velocity
• Acceleration
• Direction of movement
• Direction of orientation
• Bend (i.e., angle of body for oscillations like tail beat frequency etc.)
• Turning rate of movement or orientation
• Active/Inactive time and %
• Time and % of time spent in zones
• Distance from animal(s) to center of zone(s)
• Inter-Individual Distance (IID)
• Distance to center of zone

All the parameters can be calculated for individual animals, for groups of animals (treatments) or for each user-defined zone (e.g., time spent).

Use this infra-red light panel for backlighting of animal tanks, cages or mazes made in translucent materials like clear or white plastic and glass. For contrast based video tracking (e.g. LoliTrack and ShuttleSoft) backlighting will eliminate common problems like reflections, diurnal light cycles, or cryptic animals changing color.

Infra-red light is invisible for most animals, but digital cameras are highly sensitive to this range of wavelengths resulting in sharp and well-illuminated images even at low or zero ambient light intensities, e.g. you can track animals in the dark.

NOTE: The light panel casing runs hot during operation (see DATA), so avoid placing tanks directly onto the light panel surface to minimize temperature effects.