Open Field Activity Software

This windows application has been written specifically for the activity test chambers. It allows for flexible configuration of experiments and repeated data analysis. Data may be parsed into time bins or simply expressed as experiment totals. Standard measures include ambulatory counts, distance, time, and episodes; stereotypic counts and time; vertical counts and time; resting time; jump counts and time; average velocity; and hole board scoring when appropriate. Analyzed data includes all run-time data as well as zone analysis and rotational analysis. All experiments and subject data are entered into a Microsoft^® Access database, with all subject data linked together. Subject, date, or any other parameter may be used as a sort, thus enabling the researcher to easily import the data into a spreadsheet from the database.

Additional Features:

• Up to a 50 ms scanning rate detects rapid stereotypic movements, such as scratching or grooming behaviors.
• All standard data are displayed in real time along with a cumulative plot of the subject’s activity for all chambers.
• Experiment setup is made easier with a one screen setup following general configuration preferences that include selecting the size of the chamber so that distance traveled is expressed in real units (inches or centimeters) instead of beams broken.
• Automated file naming uses experiment, group and subject information to generate data files, or if you prefer, choose a custom file name.
• Rotational analysis examines large (wide), medium, or small ambulatory rotations on staggering, ataxic, lesion impaired, or other loco-motor impaired mice or rats.

With the help of Dr. Jonathan Katz at NIDA, Med Associates has created a simplified front-end user interface for the Activity Monitor and an easier way to transfer activity data to a spreadsheet program (MDB2XL).

The current front-end user interface of the Activity Monitor is rather complicated because this system is designed to have a number of different applications. In order to streamline the research process, the new user-interface included in this upgrade allows researchers to enter only a few variables (Experiment Title, Number of Subjects, Strain, and Session Duration) prior to starting the experiment.

MDB2XL translates Activity Monitor data to an Excel spreadsheet. MDB2XL helps researchers to select only those data of interest from the Activity Monitor data file. Therefore, MDB2XL helps to organize data for statistical analysis, and we recommend this product for those scientists who are testing numerous subjects per day.