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ANY-maze Help > The ANY-maze reference > The Protocol page > The elements of a protocol > Behaviour > Points > Point measures
Point measures
 | ANY-maze has been designed to be extended, and we'll be delighted to add any new measures you might find useful, for free! Just contact ANY-maze Support. |
ANY-maze will score the following measures for a point:
Movement relative to point measures
Heading/orientation measures
Location of point measures
Average distance from the point
| Description | Reports the average distance from the animal to the point. |
| Calculation method | For each position of the animal, the distance is calculated from the point to the animal; this distance is averaged throughout the entire test or time period. The method actually used to calculate this distance depends on the setting made when setting up the point. Specifically, the distance can either be calculated based on the part of the animal which is closest to the point (excluding its tail), or based on the position of the centre of the animal. |
| Analysis across time | This measure can be analysed across time. The result is the average distance from the point to the animal during the time period. |
Maximum distance from the point
| Description | Reports the maximum distance from the animal to the point. |
| Calculation method | For each position of the animal, the distance is calculated from the point to the part of the animal that's closest to the point (the animal's tail is excluded). The maximum distance during the entire test or time period is the result. The method actually used to calculate this distance depends on the setting made when setting up the point. Specifically, the distance can either be calculated based on the part of the animal which is closest to the point (excluding its tail), or based on the position of the centre of the animal. |
| Analysis across time | This measure can be analysed across time. The result is the maximum distance from the animal to the point during the time period. |
Minimum distance from the point
| Description | Reports the minimum distance from the animal to the point. |
| Calculation method | For each position of the animal, the distance is calculated from the point to the part of the animal that's closest to the point (the animal's tail is excluded). The minimum distance during the entire test or time period is the result. The method actually used to calculate this distance depends on the setting made when setting up the point. Specifically, the distance can either be calculated based on the part of the animal which is closest to the point (excluding its tail), or based on the position of the centre of the animal. |
| Analysis across time | This measure can be analysed across time. The result is the minimum distance from the animal to the point during the time period. |
Average distance of the animal's head from the point
| Description | Reports the average distance from the animal's head to the point. |
| Calculation method | Calculates the distance from the point to the position of the animal's head. Averages this distance through the entire test or time period. |
| Analysis across time | This measure can be analysed across time. The result is the average distance from the point to the animal's head during the time period. |
| Notes | This measure is only available if Head tracking is turned on. |
Maximum distance of the animal's head from the point
| Description | Reports the maximum distance from the animal's head to the point. |
| Calculation method | Calculates the distance from the point to the position of the animal's head. The maximum distance during the entire test or time period is the result. |
| Analysis across time | This measure can be analysed across time. The result is the maximum distance from the animal's head to the point during the time period. |
| Notes | This measure is only available if Head tracking is turned on. |
Minimum distance of the animal's head from the point
| Description | Reports the minimum distance from the animal's head to the point. |
| Calculation method | Calculates the distance from the point to the position of the animal's head. The minimum distance during the entire test or time period is the result. |
| Analysis across time | This measure can be analysed across time. The result is the minimum distance from the animal's head to the point during the time period. |
| Notes | This measure is only available if Head tracking is turned on. |
Time moving towards the point
| Description | Reports the total amount of time for which the animal was moving towards the point. |
| Calculation method | For each position of the animal, a vector is created between the current position and the next position. A second vector is then created between the current position and the point. The angle between these two vectors is calculated - see figure 1. |
Figure 1. ANY-maze calculates the angle 'A' between the animal's heading and a direct heading to the point.
The absolute angle between the two vectors, 'A', is compared to the critical angle for movement towards a point (see notes). If the angle is less than this critical angle, then the animal is deemed to be moving towards the point. If the animal is moving towards the point, then the time taken to move from the current position to the next position is added to the total time moving towards the point.
| Analysis across time | This measure can be analysed across time. The result is calculated using just those positions which fall within the time period. |
| Notes | The critical angle used to define whether the animal is moving towards the point is specified in the Orientation and movement element of the protocol. In fact, the value entered in the analysis options is twice the critical angle, as this is more intuitive. The default critical angle is 90° (i.e. by default the angle 'A' will be compared to 45°). |
Time moving away from the point
| Description | Reports the total amount of time for which the animal was moving away from the point. |
| Calculation method | For each position of the animal, a vector is created between the current position and the next position. A second vector is then created between the current position and the point. The angle between these two vectors is calculated and subtracted from 180° - see figure 2. |
Figure 2. ANY-maze calculates the angle 'B' between the animal's heading and a direct heading to the point. This is then subtracted from 180°, yielding angle 'A'.
The angle 'A' is compared to the critical angle for movement away from a point (see notes). If the value is less than this critical angle, then the animal is deemed to be moving away from the point. If the animal is moving away from the point, then the time taken to move from the current position to the next position is added to the total time moving away from the point.
| Analysis across time | This measure can be analysed across time. The result is calculated using just those positions which fall within the time period. |
| Notes | The critical angle used to define whether the animal is moving away from the point is specified in the protocol's Orientation and movement element. In fact, the value entered in the analysis options is twice the critical angle, as this is more intuitive. The default critical angle is 90° (i.e. by default the angle 'A' will be compared to 45°). |
Time the animal's head was moving towards the point
| Description | Reports the total amount of time for which the animal's head was moving towards the point. |
| Calculation method | For each position of the animal's head, a vector is created between the current position and the next position. A second vector is then created between the current position and the point. The angle between these two vectors is calculated - see figure 3. |
Figure 3. ANY-maze calculates the angle 'A' between the heading of the animal's head and the direct heading to the point.
The angle 'A' is compared to the critical angle for movement towards a point (see notes). If the angle is less than this critical angle, then the animal's head is deemed to be moving towards the point. If the animal's head is moving towards the point, then the time it took to move from the previous position to the current position is added to the total time moving towards the point.
| Analysis across time | This measure can be analysed across time. The result is calculated using just those positions which fall within the time period. |
| Notes | The critical angle used to define whether the animal is moving towards the point is specified in the Orientation and movement element of the protocol. In fact, the value entered in the analysis options is twice the critical angle, as this is more intuitive. The default critical angle is 90° (i.e. by default the angle beta is compared to 45°). |
This measure is only available if Head tracking is turned on.
Time the animal's head was moving away from the point
| Description | Reports the total amount of time for which the animal's head was moving away from the point. |
| Calculation method | For each position of the animal's head, a vector is created between the current position and the next position. A second vector is then created between the current position and the point. The angle between these two vectors is calculated and the result is subtracted from 180° - see figure 4. |
Figure 4. ANY-maze calculates the angle 'B' between the heading of the animal's head and the direct heading to the point; this is then subtracted from 180°, yielding angle 'A'.
The angle 'A' is compared to the critical angle for movement away from a point (see notes). If the angle is less than this critical angle, then the animal's head is deemed to be moving away from the point. If the animal's head is moving away from the point, then the time it took to move from the previous position to the current position is added to the total time moving away from the point.
| Analysis across time | This measure can be analysed across time. The result is calculated using just those positions which fall within the time period. |
| Notes | The critical angle used to define whether the animal's head is moving away from the point is specified in the Orientation and movement element of the protocol. In fact, the value entered in the analysis options is twice the critical angle, as this is more intuitive. The default critical angle is 90° (i.e. by default the angle 'A' will be compared to 45°). |
This measure is only available if Head tracking is turned on.
Average speed moving towards the point
| Description | Reports the average speed of the animal when it was moving towards the point. |
| Calculation method | For each position of the animal, a vector is created between the current position and the next position. A second vector is then created between the current position and the point. The angle between these two vectors is calculated - see figure 5. |
Figure 5. ANY-maze calculates the angle 'A' between the animal's heading and a direct heading to the point.
The absolute angle between the two vectors, 'A', is compared to the critical angle for movement towards a point (see notes). If the angle is less than this critical angle, then the animal is deemed to be moving towards the point. If the animal is moving towards the point, then the time taken to move from the current position to the next position is added to the total time moving towards the point and the distance from the current position to the next position is added to the total distance moving towards the point. At the end of the test the total distance moving towards the point is divided by the total time moving towards the point, yielding the average speed moving towards the point.
| Analysis across time | This measure can be analysed across time. The result is calculated using just those positions which fall within the time period. |
| Notes | The critical angle used to define whether the animal is moving towards the point is specified in the Orientation and movement element of the protocol. In fact, the value entered in the analysis options is twice the critical angle, as this is more intuitive. The default critical angle is 90° (i.e. by default the angle 'A' will be compared to 45°). |
Initial heading error to the point
| Description | Reports the angle between the animal's heading at the start of the test and a direct heading to the point. |
| Calculation method | Calculation of this measure depends on the settings in the Analysis options > Heading error sub-element of the protocol. Specifically, there are two options for how the animal's heading at the start of the test is determined - one uses a specific time delay, the other a specific distance. In the first case, the animal's heading is taken to be the vector from the its first position in the test to the first position detected after the specified time interval has elapsed. In the second case, the heading is taken to be the vector from the animal's first position in the test to the first position that's more than the specified distance from it. In both cases, positions that are detected while the animal is considered to be immobile (if immobility detection is switched on) are ignored - thus in the first case, the animal must be mobile for the period that is specified. |
Having determined the animal's initial heading, the system then calculates the vector from the first position in the test to the point. The angle between this vector and the animal's heading vector is the initial heading error.
| Analysis across time | This measure cannot be analysed across time. |
Average absolute heading error to the point
| Description | Reports the average absolute angle between the animal's heading and a direct heading to the point. |
| Calculation method | The animal's heading is defined as the vector that joins the position with the next position in time. The heading to the point is defined as the vector that joins the animal's position to the point, and the heading error is defined as the angle between the two vectors. This angle is calculated for every position of the animal, and the angle's absolute value is summed and then divided by the number of positions. |
If immobility is being detected in a test, then all positions when the animal is deemed to be immobile are ignored in the calculation of the average heading error. If immobility is not being detected, then all positions are used - with the caveat that a position must be at least a minimum distance from the previous position for it to be considered. The minimum distance used is based on the size of the animal.
| Analysis across time | This measure can be analysed across time. The result is based on just those positions that fall within the time period. |
Time the animal's head was oriented towards the point
| Description | Reports the total amount of time for which the animal's head was oriented towards the point. |
| Calculation method | The animal's orientation is defined by a vector connecting the start of the head vector position to the head position. For most animals, excluding quails, the start of the head vector position is the animal's centre. However, in the case of quails, it is a point near the base of the neck, which was determined during tracking. A second vector is created between the position of the animal's head and the position of the point. The angle between these two vectors is calculated - see figure 6. |
Figure 6. ANY-maze calculates the angle beta between the two vectors Va (the vector which defines the animal's orientation) and Vb (the vector from the animal to the point).
The absolute angle between the two vectors (beta) is compared to the critical angle for movement away from/towards a point (see notes). If the angle is less than this critical angle, then the animal is deemed to be oriented towards the point. If the animal is oriented towards the point, then the time between the previous position of the animal and its current position is added to the total time oriented towards the point (irrespective of whether it was oriented towards the point at the previous position).
| Analysis across time | This measure can be analysed across time. The result is calculated using just those positions which fall within the time period. |
| Notes | The critical angle used to define whether the animal is oriented towards the point is the same angle as is used to determine whether the animal is moving towards or away from a point, and is defined in the Orientation and movement element of the protocol. In fact, the value entered in the analysis options is twice the critical angle, as this is more intuitive. The default critical angle is 60° (i.e. by default the angle beta will be compared to 30°). |
This measure is only available if Head tracking is turned on.
Time the animal's head was oriented away from the point
| Description | Reports the total amount of time for which the animal's head was oriented away from the point. |
| Calculation method | The animal's orientation is defined by a vector connecting the start of the head vector position to the head position. For most animals, excluding quails, the start of the head vector position is the animal's centre. However, in the case of quails, it is a point near the base of the neck, which was determined during tracking. A second vector is created between the position of the animal's head and the position of the point. The angle between these two vectors is calculated - see figure 7. |
Figure 7. ANY-maze calculates the angle beta between the two vectors Va (the vector which defines the animal's orientation) and Vb (the vector from the animal to the point).
The angle between the two vectors (beta) is subtracted from 180° and the absolute value of the result is calculated; this is compared to the critical angle for movement towards/away from a point (see notes). If the angle is less than this critical angle, then the animal is deemed to be oriented away from the point. If the animal is oriented away from the point, then the time between the previous position of the animal and its current position is added to the total time oriented away from the point (irrespective of whether it was orientated away from the point at the previous position).
| Analysis across time | This measure can be analysed across time. The result is calculated using just those positions which fall within the time period. |
| Notes | The critical angle used to define whether the animal's head is oriented away from the point is the same angle as is used to determine whether the animal is moving towards or away from a point, and is defined in the protocol's Orientation and movement element. In fact, the value entered in the analysis options is twice the critical angle, as this is more intuitive. The default critical angle is 60° (i.e. by default the angle abs(180-beta) will be compared to 30°). |
This measure is only available if Head tracking is turned on.
Number of times the animal's head was oriented towards the point
| Description | Reports the count of occasions when the animal's head was oriented towards the point. |
| Calculation method | The animal's orientation is defined by a vector connecting the start of the head vector position to the head position. For most animals, excluding quails, the start of the head vector position is the animal's centre. However, in the case of quails, it is a point near the base of the neck, which was determined during tracking. A second vector is created between the position of the animal's head and the position of the point. The angle between these two vectors is calculated - see figure 8. |
Figure 8. ANY-maze calculates the angle beta between the two vectors Va (the vector which defines the animal's orientation) and Vb (the vector from the animal to the point).
The absolute angle between the two vectors (beta) is compared to the critical angle for movement away from/towards a point (see notes). If the angle is less than this critical angle, then the animal is deemed to be oriented towards the point. If the animal is now oriented towards the point when previously it wasn't, then the count of occasions when the animal's head was oriented towards the point is increased by one.
| Analysis across time | This measure can be analysed across time. The result is calculated using just those positions which fall within the time period. |
| Notes | The critical angle used to define whether the animal is oriented towards the point is the same angle as is used to determine whether the animal is moving towards or away from a point, and is defined in the protocol's Orientation and movement element. In fact, the value entered in the analysis options is twice the critical angle, as this is more intuitive. The default critical angle is 60° (i.e. by default the angle beta will be compared to 30°). |
This measure is only available if Head tracking is turned on.
Point X coordinate
| Description | Reports the X coordinate of the location of a point whose position is determined by where the animal spent the longest time either located or doing something, such as freezing. |
| Calculation method | A heat map for whatever the point is based on is created and the position of the 'hottest' value in the heat map is determined. |
| Analysis across time | This measure cannot be analysed across time. |
| Notes | This measure is not available for points whose location in the apparatus is set within the protocol. This is because the location will be the same for all tests, and so reporting it as a measure is meaningless. If you want to know the location of such a point then it is reported in the Protocol report. |
Point Y coordinate
| Description | Reports the Y coordinate of the location of a point whose position is determined by where the animal spent the longest time either located or doing something such as freezing. |
| Calculation method | A heat map for whatever the point is based on is created and the position of the 'hottest' value in the heat map is determined. |
| Analysis across time | This measure cannot be analysed across time. |
| Notes | This measure is not available for points whose location in the apparatus is set within the protocol. This is because the location will be the same for all tests, and so reporting it as a measure is meaningless. If you want to know the location of such a point then it is reported in the Protocol report. |
Approximate time at the point
| Description | Reports the approximate time the animal spent at the location of a point whose position is determined by where the animal spent the longest time either located or doing something, such as freezing. |
| Calculation method | A heat map for whatever the point is based on is created and the time the animal spent at the 'hottest' value in the heat map is determined. |
| Analysis across time | This measure cannot be analysed across time. |
| Notes | The value reported is approximate because the way a heat map is generated is itself approximate - heat maps being intended to provide a visual, rather than analytical, representation of the animal's behaviour during a test. |
This measure is not available for points whose location in the apparatus is set within the protocol.
See also:
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ANY-maze help topic T0344
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