Tracking Location and Orientation of Multiple Group Housed Rodents

Master thesis (2022)
Faculty
Mechanical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Copyright: © 2022 Jeroen Röling
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Published Date

04-04-2022

Language

English

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Faculty

Mechanical Engineering

Abstract

Recent technological advancements have made it possible to study complex social behaviors in rodents using automated observations. The Neuromate project of the Erasmus Medical Center and Delft University of Technology aims to expand the research possibilities with this technology by enabling closed-loop neuro-stimulation and observation in group-housed mice. This thesis tackles a crucial aspect of the Neuromate project: the tracking of the mice.

This tracking is done using a 3D infrared (IR) camera in combination with 2D IR markers, located on the head of the mice. The tracking system is tested using dummy mice in two sets of test conditions. Each set consists of a baseline test and a test with a complication. The first set consists of a single mouse run as a baseline and a single mouse run with an obstruction as the complication. The second set consists of a run with two mice as a baseline and a run with two mice with a close encounter as the complication.

Results showed that the test setup was capable of successfully tracking the mice during all test conditions. The test with the close encounter showed the lowest rate of positive identifications (PI) per second of the 2D IR markers (12.86§0.89 PI/s). The single mouse baseline test showed the worst percentage of false positives (1.23% of all identifications). The test setup proves that by changing the camera setup to increase the spatial resolution, for example by using a higher resolution camera, the tracking method would be capable of fulfilling the requirements of the Neuromate.