Animal Activity Meter: Opto-Varimex-4 Auto-Track - Columbus Instruments

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The Columbus Instruments new Opto-Varimex-4 Auto Track System is the latest implementation of our animal activity meter. The Auto-Track is an advanced system using the latest technology to quantify locomotor activity and trace the animal's path for behavioral analysis. Systems can support up to 8 stations on a single PC and come complete with cages, sensors, brackets, interface, and Windows software.

The Auto-Track System senses motion with a grid of infrared photocells placed around the arena (typically 17.5" x 17.5" (44.5 cm), but other sizes are available). Vertical motion is detected by a second array of photocells placed above the animal.

The simultaneous interruption of beams along the horizontal axes (X & Y) provide coordinates that identify animal location. Vertical motion is scored and stored with the horizontal position data. The software records these coordinates for later playback and analysis. Suitable manipulation of the recorded pattern by analysis methods can reveal subtle changes in animal behavior over the course of an experiment, between experiments, and / or between animals.

Features / Specifications

Distance Traveled (cm)
Resting Time (sec)
Stereotypic Time (sec)
Ambulatory Time (sec)
Bursts of Stereotypic Movement
Horizontal Beam Break Counts
Ambulatory Beam Break Counts
Vertical Counts
Bursts of Vertical Movement
Time in Square Analysis
Raw Data Storage (GLP compliant)
Real Time Monitoring
Validation Protocols
Staggered Start
Re-Analysis of Data

16 beams per axis
Sensors available with 1" (2.54 cm) or 0.5" (1.27cm) beam spacing.
17.5" (44.5 cm) Cage comes with base plate of 23.25" x 23.25" (59cm)
9.5" (24 cm) comes with base plate of 12.625" (32.7 cm)

Ordering Information

Auto-Track/Opto-Varimex-4 System Examples (17.5" x 17.5" Arena)
0170-R1 Auto-Track/Opto-Varimex-4 System for 1 animal
0170-R2 Auto-Track/Opto-Varimex-4 System for 2 animals
0170-R4 Auto-Track/Opto-Varimex-4 System for 4 animals
0170-R8 Auto-Track/Opto-Varimex-4 System for 8 animals

Auto-Track/Opto-Varimex-4 System Examples (9.5" x 9.5" Arena)
0170-M1 Auto-Track/Opto-Varimex-4 System for 1 animal
0170-M2 Auto-Track/Opto-Varimex-4 System for 2 animals
0170-M4 Auto-Track/Opto-Varimex-4 System for 4 animals
0170-M8 Auto-Track/Opto-Varimex-4 System for 8 animals

Mouse Hole-Poke/Opto-Varimex-4 System Examples (17.5" x 17.5" Arena)
0170-HPM1 Mouse Hole-Poke/Opto-Varimex-4 System for 1 animal
0170-HPM2 Mouse Hole-Poke/Opto-Varimex-4 System for 2 animals
0170-HPM4 Mouse Hole-Poke/Opto-Varimex-4 System for 4 animals
0170-HPM8 Mouse Hole-Poke/Opto-Varimex-4 System for 8 animals

Rat Hole-Poke/Opto-Varimex-4 System Examples (17.5" x 17.5" Arena)
0170-HPR1 Rat Hole-Poke/Opto-Varimex-4 System for 1 animal
0170-HPR2 Rat Hole-Poke/Opto-Varimex-4 System for 2 animals
0170-HPR4 Rat Hole-Poke/Opto-Varimex-4 System for 4 animals
0170-HPR8 Rat Hole-Poke/Opto-Varimex-4 System for 8 animals