Automated Visual Metrics in Laboratory Rodents
- Manual, hybrid, and automated testing modes
- Automated trial and experimental control
- Advanced real time data analytics
- User feedback with real-time video overlays
- Trial management with verified tracking (VT)
- Flexible data management and export control
What is OptoMotry?
OptoMotry is an optokinetic tracking system that measures visual thresholds in unrestrained laboratory mice and rats. OptoMotry was introduced by CerebralMechanics in 2004 and is the most trusted preclinical visual testing system, generating nearly 300 research publications. OptoMotry VT is our 4th generation device; it maintains all of the manual testing features and flexibility of previous versions, but adds a suite of automated testing options, including the automatic determination of visual thresholds.
How OptoMotry works
OptoMotry is a virtual-reality computer testing system that projects a moving grating on a virtual cylinder around an animal and uses video feedback to evaluate the animal's ability to track the grating. The spatial frequency of the grating is controlled by maintaining the hub of the cylinder between the eyes as an animal moves. Visual thresholds are obtained by systematically varying grating properties until tracking is not detected.
OptoMotry VT -Verified Tracking
Powerful, Intuitive, Reliable
A non-invasive, automated way to measure visual thresholds in mice and rats
What is Verified Tracking?
Absence: It is often hard to know why an animal does not track a stimulus. Not being able to see is only one possible reason. Inattention or attending to something else in the environment are also possible. In VT, when a failure to track is observed, a much more salient stimulus is used to verify that animal is actually capable of tracking and is not in some alternate state.
Presence: Laboratory rodents can generate slow head movements that are not visually driven. VT can detect when the head is turned already making tracking in that direction more likely, and also making slow recentering movements due to neck stretch receptors more likely. Contamination of the horizontal signals by larger head nods can also be minimized.
Presence: Laboratory rodents can generate slow head movements that are not visually driven. VT can detect when the head is turned already making tracking in that direction more likely, and also making slow recentering movements due to neck stretch receptors more likely. Contamination of the horizontal signals by larger head nods can also be minimized.
Verifiying Data
Parameter History: Stimulus, condition, and image processing settings are saved for every session to permit later examination of the settings for each testing session.
Encore Review: VT records a wealth of information about each video frame during a tracking epoch (trial). This allows the experimenter to go back later and review a trail.
Encore Review: VT records a wealth of information about each video frame during a tracking epoch (trial). This allows the experimenter to go back later and review a trail.
Tracking Assistants
Auto Center. The stimulus must be kept centered over the head so that the specified spatial frequency is correct. In Manual mode this is done by the user clicking on the head. The Auto-Centering Assistant does the centering, relieving the user of this task. The user controls blanking and makes judgements about tracking.
Auto Blank. Animals are free to move around the platform and do not always track the stimulus. The periods of rapid repositioning and other intrusive behaviors must be distinguished from times when they are relatively stationary and may be tracking the stimulus. This division can be done by the user by clicking on the head or by the Blanking Assistant that divides time into Blanking and Tracking Epochs. The user makes judgements about tracking.
Auto Advise. Slow tracking of the head in the direction of the stimulus is taken as evidence of seeing. The Auto-Advise Assistant measures the tracking velocities between blanking periods and displays the evidence to help the user make a decision. This mode is tailored for typical C57 black mice. Other strains and coat colors may not be compatible with Auto Advise.
Auto Judge. The Auto-Judging Assistant examines the tracking velocities between blanking periods and decides if there is adequate data to decide whether the subject can see the current stimulus. This mode is tailored for typical C57 black mice. Other strains and coat colors may not be compatible with Auto Judging.
Full Manual. All the Assistants are disabled in the Full Manual Mode. This is the most compatible with earlier versions of OptoMotry and may still be the best choice for some strains in which the ears can not be reliably localized. Even in the automatic modes manual overrides are often available.
Auto Blank. Animals are free to move around the platform and do not always track the stimulus. The periods of rapid repositioning and other intrusive behaviors must be distinguished from times when they are relatively stationary and may be tracking the stimulus. This division can be done by the user by clicking on the head or by the Blanking Assistant that divides time into Blanking and Tracking Epochs. The user makes judgements about tracking.
Auto Advise. Slow tracking of the head in the direction of the stimulus is taken as evidence of seeing. The Auto-Advise Assistant measures the tracking velocities between blanking periods and displays the evidence to help the user make a decision. This mode is tailored for typical C57 black mice. Other strains and coat colors may not be compatible with Auto Advise.
Auto Judge. The Auto-Judging Assistant examines the tracking velocities between blanking periods and decides if there is adequate data to decide whether the subject can see the current stimulus. This mode is tailored for typical C57 black mice. Other strains and coat colors may not be compatible with Auto Judging.
Full Manual. All the Assistants are disabled in the Full Manual Mode. This is the most compatible with earlier versions of OptoMotry and may still be the best choice for some strains in which the ears can not be reliably localized. Even in the automatic modes manual overrides are often available.
OptoMotry -The original virtual reality system for quantifying vision in laboratory rodents.
More Testing Options
Visual Fields
Based on viewing position, OptoMotry VT can continually position visual stimuli in a visual field (e.g. Douglas et al, 2005). This may be useful for quantifying retinal manipulation in the monocular region of each eye of a mouse in order to do within-animal control experiments.
Strains and Species
Auto-Judging in OptoMotry VT is tailored for C57BL/6 mice; the most widely used laboratory mouse strain. Testing of other mouse strains and rats is supported in Full Manual, and in some cases, Auto-Center and Auto-Advise modes, but is not currently supported in the Auto-Judge mode.
Built-in User Assistance
Tool Tips: Small text windows with information appears when the computer mouse hovers over a program element.
Help Panel: When the Help Panel is enabled, more detailed information is shown as the computer mouse moves over major user interface elements.
Help Index: A user can search for information linked to specific topics.
Tools For Visual Neuroscience
More Features
- Video review of experimental procedures
- Automated system calibration
- Automated supervision of subject engagement
- Access to user information with Tool Tips
- Tools to help new users
- Online user training and support
