Custom solutions

Your research is unique. So are your lab requirements. To meet them, we offer a wide range of tools that are very flexible and designed to meet a variety of demands. We can easily create a solution that suits your research needs. But sometimes unique research needs a truly unique solution. Rely on our many years of experience with building labs all over the world to create a custom solution for you. Our technicians can even integrate third party hardware and software into one working set-up.

Solutions that meet your requirements
When designing your lab, we always look for software and hardware solutions that meet your unique research requirements. We have many standard solutions in our portfolio, which have proven their value under many conditions. They offer good value for money. Do you need something special? A different type of camera or data acquisition device? Custom software? We are more than happy to work with you to create the perfect custom solution. 

Full integration
Full integration means that we can integrate hardware items into full systems, even if they are not mentioned in our catalog or on our website. Examples include high speed cameras, data acquisition systems,  time lapse video systems, video servers, and a wide variety of other equipment. We also integrate third party hardware and software.
Integration can take place on many levels. Some systems only require data integration, while others need fully synchronized recordings of multiple modalities. Backed by highly skilled technical support staff, our sales team can help you investigate the options, and create the best system for your needs.

Services and support
Levels of service and support may differ for custom and standard solutions. Standard components are tested extensively under many different circumstances. Custom components are tested as well, in conjunction with our software. However, they are only tested once, before delivery, and under the conditions you have specified. We provide extensive documentation and our support staff is trained and experienced in helping you with common issues. 

Example - Track3D
Track3D is a video-based solution for automated tracking, visualization and analysis of insect movement in a 3D space. Track3D allows researchers to record the movement of an insect in a test chamber, visualize the resulting trajectory in a three-dimensional image and calculate a large number of movement parameters. The system can be customized for a variety of test chambers or wind tunnels and is very cost-effective. 

At the heart of the system is EthoVision, our premier video tracking system for the automation of behavioral experiments. The flexibility of Track3D allows for its usage in a variety of tests with several animal species, for example the study of insect flight behavior in wind tunnels.

 

 

 

 

Components

 

Benefits

  • 3D tracking provides a more complete description and analysis of flight patterns than 2D coordinate data sets. With some species, 3D analysis is indispensable to understand their orientation in space and response to visual of olfactory stimuli.
  • The full-size, high-resolution video records the animal’s position with high accuracy. The two cameras’ images are automatically synchronized.
  • The software also works with infrared lighting, allowing tracking under low-light conditions or in complete darkness.
  • Track3D offers additional lens correction for even higher spatial accuracy.
  • All hardware components are relatively inexpensive, so there is no need to invest in high-end motion capture equipment. The Track3D software is an add-on module to EthoVision, allowing labs to take advantage of prior investments.
  • Track 3D can be adapted to work with most existing test chambers and wind tunnels.
  • The 3D visualization software can be installed on notebook computers, allowing users to play the 3D tracks anywhere, e.g. during a conference presentation.

 

Example - Integrating The Observer XT with third party hardware: measuring rider-horse interaction
To help you get the most out of your research, you can use The Observer XT to integrate and synchronize data from third party hardware. Here is a great example of how this works in practice:

Researchers from the Experimental Zoology Group, Wageningen University and Research Center (The Netherlands) are setting up a measurement environment based on The Observer XT to conduct research on rider-horse interaction. Their goal is to objectify this interaction by measuring and integrating different aspects: Video is recorded to analyze behaviors of both horse and rider. Forces between them (for example, on the saddle, stirrups or reins) are measured with specialized equipment, and additional physiological parameters data include the horse’s hart rate. This way, they can accurately assess and give advice on riding techniques, for better performance and welfare of the horse.

During preliminary tests, a pressure pad under the saddle was used (the Pliance®-s sensor mat from Novel, Germany) to collect dynamic data from 256 sensor points. With a custom import profile, this data was successfully integrated with video data in The Observer XT. A dynamic 2D representation of the saddle pressure from the Pliance®-s system completes the picture. Easy manual synchronization of the data allows for detailed coding of both horse and rider behavior. 

As this example demonstrates, collecting different kinds of data is of great importance in modern research. But in order to get meaningful results, successful integration of this data is essential. This is where The Observer XT, once again, proves to be a powerful and efficient tool.

  • EthoVision 3.1 video tracking software
  • 3D calibration, visualization, and analysis software
  • 3D calibration frame
  • computer and video components