CinePlex

CinePlex is a digital video recording, position tracking, and file editing tool that synchronizes video capture with Plexon neural data files. The synchronized video, tracking coordinates, and neural data can then be viewed offline, where behavioral event markers and time-interval variables can be inserted. The modified data file can be exported for further analysis.

CinePlex consists of CinePlex Studio and CinePlex Editor.

CinePlex Studio

CinePlex Studio is a combination of hardware and software that records video in synchrony with neural data collection and generates real-time tracking coordinates and events. Video files can be imported into CinePlex Studio for offline position tracking and behavioral analyses. Up to 5 colors may be tracked (either different colors or the same color). CinePlex Studio can also track objects in pre-recorded files off-line.

CinePlex Editor

CinePlex Editor is an integrated video and neural data file playback program with editing functionality.

Operation with MAP and OmniPlex Systems

CinePlex Studio can be synchronized with either the Plexon MAP system or the Plexon OmniPlex system. CinePlex Studio processes and compresses video from up to two Firewire cameras, and stores them as an .AVI file. The MAP and OmniPlex systems send clock signals to CinePlex Studio for timestamping each video frame, as well as control signals to start, stop, pause, and resume video recording.

Tracking Option

The available tracking option enables CinePlex Studio to analyze each frame of video data to determine the positions of objects based on their color or image contraxt. Tracking can be performed live, during acquisition of the video, or off-line. On-line tracking position data is also available to online user-written programs via C/C++ and Matlab client developmnet kits.

The video, tracking, and neural data can then be imported into the CinePlex Editor program for visualization and defining new event markers and time intervals.

Behavior Option with Programmable Digital Output

The CinePlex Behavior option creates events with a tracked object enters or leaves a user-defined zone in the image, or when a threshold level is reached for an object's speed or the angle between two objects (head direction). Zones may be centered around tracked objects - dynamic zones for use in social interaction studies, behavioral training, etc. The Behavior option comes with 24 programmable digital output lines. Logical AND/OR and Sequence operations on behavioral event variables may be performed to create complex events - e.g., create an event and generate a digital output when an object enters a certain combination of zones in a particular sequence, or enters a zone at a certain speed. Real-time statistics are calculated including object speed, time spent in each zone, angle between two events (head direction).

CinePlex Studio Features

• Video capture synchronized with neural recordings from the Plexon MAP and OmniPlex Systems
• Triggered video capture, for more accurate timestamping of video frames (50 microsecond accuracy)
• Low noise AVT Stingray cameras (640 x 480 resolution, up to 80 frames per second)
• Removable infrared (IR) filter, for use of IR illuminator to visualize and track animal in dark environment (useful for seeing animal in low-light environment while tracking LEDs mounted on headstage)
• Standard video .AVI files with MPEG file compression, for greatly reduced file size

• Record from TWO cameras simultaneously
• Selectable image quality settings

CinePlex Studio Tracking Features

• Both on-line and off-line position tracking - allows for adjusting image parameters after the initial video recording and rerunning the tracking algorithms
• Track up to 5 colors (either different colors or all the same color)
• Create arenas of both simple and complex shapes
• Intelligent tracking windows around tracked objects, to ignore reflections and spurious distractors
• Three methods for real-time animal position tracking: body contour, colored LEDs on headstage, and reflective color markers
• Record contour motion across adjacent video frames to detect freezing behavior in fear-conditioning experiments
• Position data available to online user-written programs

New CinePlex Behaviour Option with Programmable Digital Output

• Detection and event generation when:
  • an object enters or leaves a user-defined zone in the image
  • a threshold level is crossed for an object's speed or the angle between two markers (head direction)
• Zones may be centered around objects being tracked - dynamic zones for use in social interaction studies, behavioral training paradigms, etc.
• 24 programmable, event triggerable hardware digital output lines (screw terminal)
• Logical AND/OR and Sequence operations on behavioral event variables to create complex events, E.g., create event and generate a digital output when an object
  • enters a certain combination of zones in a particular sequence
  • enters a particular zone and has a speed greater than a particular value
  • has a vector angle over or under a specified level  
• Real-time statistics and behavioral information, such as:
  • object speed
  • time spent in each zone
  • angle between two markers (head direction)

Note: the CinePlex Behavior option requires CinePlex Tracking Option to be enabled

CinePlex Editor Features

• Integrated viewing of neural data files (Plexon.plx, NeuroExplorer .nex) and .AVI files
• Full digital video recorder (DVR) playback capabilites
• Display of tracking position data overlaid on video
• Video-aided insertion of event markers and intervals
• removal of temporal segments of neural data during artifact-generating behaviors (chewing, grooming, etc.)
• Ability to edit position data from CinePlex Studio, and manually enter new coordinates
• Seek and search based on event markers
• Save neural data to Plexon (.plx) and NeuroExplorer (.nex) files, or export to Excel, MATLAB, or text files
• Reads MPEG and MJPEG files