ANY-maze Help > The ANY-maze reference > The Protocol page > The elements of a protocol > Apparatus > Protocol settings > Video observation

Video observation

Introduction

ANY-maze includes a number of protocol modes which affect which parts of the protocol are uses. For example, the equipment-specific protocol modes (such as the OPAD or NFST protocol modes) limit the inputs and outputs available in the protocol to those which are available on the selected equipment. When you select one of these protocol modes, or the I/O only protocol mode, the protocol items associated with video tracking are excluded by default.

However, even when you're not interested in actually tracking the animals, it's sometimes useful to have a camera set up over the apparatus, so you can see what is going on while the test is running. The Use video observation option is a way of doing this.

Details

When you select the Use video observation option, ANY-maze will then allow you to add a video source for each apparatus in the experiment. This must be a live video feed (a camera or video stream) rather than a video file. During each test, ANY-maze will show you the video image from that video source, so you can observe the apparatus.

Note that you won't need to define an apparatus map for the experiment, as no tracking is involved - the video source will simply show you an image of the apparatus.

Limitations

Once you specify that you want to use video observation during your experiment, you must specify a video source for each apparatus - ANY-maze won't let you start a test if there is no video source for that apparatus. If the video feed is lost during the test - for example, the camera is unplugged - then the test will be aborted. In these respects it's just the same as ANY-maze would behave if you were using the video image for tracking.

Note that you can turn the Use video observation option on and off during an experiment (although not while a test is actually running).

See also:

 •The protocol mode 

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ANY-maze help topic T0079