Knowledge Base

Define Zones

Define specific regions of the arena to be used in analysis or to start and stop tracking. Any area falling outside the arena is not considered as a zone.

Prerequisite

• You have defined the arena.

Procedure for One Zone

1. Click 3. Select Shape and Draw Zones (Optional) in the Arenas and Zones section. If multiple zone groups are defined, click the zone group where you want to insert the zone. This group is highlighted in the background image.
2. Select a shape from the toolbar.
3. Create a shape that covers the area of interest within the arena. Do so at the height of the animal, not at the top of the cage. If you choose one of the subdivided options, select the number of sectors or rows x columns and click OK.
4. In the Add Zone Label window that appears, enter the name of the zone or accept the suggested name, then click OK.

When you have multiple arenas and want to give the same name to a zone defined in each arena (for example, the Feeder in multiple PhenoTypers), select Use Existing Zone and choose the zone name.

Notes

• The zone shape is filled with the color visible next to the zone name in the Arenas and Zones section. Click the color next to the name to change it.
• To create quadrants in an existing arena, draw two perpendicular lines over the arena. Click the Add Zone Label button and drag the label to one quadrant. Repeat this step for each quadrant.

Auto-Label Zone

By default, the Auto-Label Zones option is turned on (the Auto-Label Zone button on the toolbar is highlighted in orange). This means that every time you draw a closed shape, the zone label is added automatically.

To switch the auto-label option off, click the Auto-Label Zone button on the toolbar or press A.

If the auto-label option is off (the button is not highlighted in orange) and the zone has no name, click the Add Zone Label button on the toolbar, drag the label to the zone, then click the mouse button. Name the zone and click OK.

Edit a Zone

You can resize and re-shape the zone using the Work with Shapes tools.

Organize the Zones in Your Arena

Zone Groups

Zones are organized in zone groups. You can add an unlimited number of zone groups to each arena. Within one zone group, zones must be non-overlapping. If zones within a zone group are overlapping, the overlapping area is excluded from both zones.

Zones That Do Not Overlap

If two or more zones do not overlap, like the quadrants of a Morris water maze, define them in the same zone group.

To create a new zone group, select the arena and then click the Add Zone Group button in the lower part of the Arena Settings window.

You cannot edit zone groups that contain zones that have been used in Trial Control (for example, to start tracking when the animal is detected in that zone) or have been used as hidden or entry zones. However, you can add new zone groups and add zones there. These zones can then be used, for example, for analysis.

Zones That Do Overlap

If you want to define zones that overlap, define them in separate zone groups or use cumulative zones.

For example, in a circular open-field, you may want two circular zones (Center and Border) and four quadrant zones (NW, NE, SW, SE). Create two zone groups: one with the two circular zones, and one with the four quadrant zones.

Draw a Point

Define a reference point, for example to calculate the average distance of the subject to the point, or the heading angle.

Procedure

1. In the Arenas and Zones section, select the zone group in which you want to add one or more points.
2. Click the Add Point button on the toolbar.
3. Click the background image to position the point. Note that you can also position a point outside the arena.
4. In the Add Point window, enter the point name and click OK.

Validate the Arena Settings

Check that the Arena Settings are consistent after defining all arenas and zones. This includes verifying that the arena is calibrated, that multiple arenas do not overlap, and that all zones are inside the arena.

Procedure

1. Click the 4. Validate Arena Setup button in the Arenas and Zones section.

If arenas and zones are created correctly, a message will be shown that Arena Settings are valid. If not, an error message appears.

More About Zones

Copy a Zone

To Copy a Zone Within the Same Arena

1. Right-click the shape and select Duplicate.
2. In the Duplicate window, enter an Enlargement factor and click OK.

To Copy a Zone to Another Arena

1. In the Arenas and Zones section, select the zone group into which you want to add a zone.
2. Make a zone that covers the area of interest within the arena.
3. Click the Label Zone button on the toolbar and click in the shape you have just created.
4. In the Add Zone window, select Use Existing Zone and select one of the zones from the list.
5. Click OK.

Notes

• You cannot copy individual zones from one arena to another. You can redraw the zone in the destination arena and use a label with the same zone name.
• If you have multiple arenas with the same size and shape, you can duplicate a complete arena including all zones, then arrange the arenas using the Multiple Arena Setup.

Move an Entire Arena with Its Zones

1. In the Arenas and Zones section, click the Arena row to display the corresponding arena in the video image.
2. Drag the mouse cursor over the entire arena in the window on the left to select all components, then move the entire selection.