Knowledge Base

Resolution: Compliant runs must satisfy all run criteria (duration between minimum and maximum, speed variation within range if enabled). Runs become non‑compliant if any criterion is not met. Users should start the acquisition once, place the animal on the walkway, and allow the system to automatically acquire runs. Manually stopping a run causes it to be marked ‘user aborted,’ making it non‑compliant if the option to discard aborted runs is selected. If runs exceed the maximum duration, adjust walkway definition, background image and camera gain (6–20) to avoid mis‑detection. Don’t include dark areas in the walkway, snap a new background, and adjust gain if noise causes false detections.

FAQ and Step-by-Step Instructions

What makes a run ‘compliant’ in CatWalk XT?

• The run duration is longer than the minimum and shorter than the maximum specified in your run criteria.
• If speed variation checking is enabled, the variation must be within the allowed range.
• The run is not manually aborted by the user.

Why are some runs marked as non‑compliant even when they look correct?

• Manual stop – If you press the stop record button, the run is saved but marked ‘user aborted’ and may be non‑compliant depending on your settings.
• Maximum duration exceeded – This can happen if the system still detects something in the walkway after the animal has left; adjust the walkway definition and detection settings.
  
  

Do I need to manually start and stop each run?

• Start the acquisition once, then place the animal on the walkway.
• CatWalk XT automatically detects when the animal enters the field of view and records the run.
• Allow the system to stop automatically when the animal leaves. Avoid stopping manually unless necessary.
• Repeat for each crossing; the system will acquire individual runs without manual intervention.
  
  

How can I prevent false detection or non‑compliance?

•  **Check walkway definition** – Make sure only the walkway surface is defined; exclude dark areas like walls or edges.
•  **Snap a new background** – If the background image has changed, use the ‘Snap Background’ button to update it.
•  **Adjust camera gain** – Keep gain between 6 and 20. High gain introduces noise; open the camera aperture and redo detection settings if necessary.
•  **Let the system manage the run** – Avoid manually stopping runs to ensure they are recorded and evaluated automatically.
  
  

When should I contact support?

• If you have checked the walkway definition, background and camera settings and runs are still incorrectly labelled, contact technical support with details of your settings and a sample video for further assistance.