GaitScan
GaitScan is a component of our NeurodegenScan Suite and meets the needs for gait analysis of animals. Gait analysis allows highly sensitive, noninvasive detection and evaluation of many pathophysiological conditions, such as those occurring in Spinal Cord Injury, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, ALS, arthritis, pain, neuromuscular and skeletal muscle diseases.
Product Description [PDF opens in new window]
GaitScan system takes video of animal (mouse or rat) running either on a transparent belt treadmill or on a clear free-walk runway as input. The video of the ventral view (underside view) of the animal is obtained using a high-speed digital camera and each video capture can be 20 seconds (or even more when used with specialized fast hard drive architecture) giving a multitude of stride samples in just one trial. The video essentially captures the foot prints of the animal as they walk/run on the treadmill or the runway device. GaitScan software can work with videos taken from any treadmill or runway device that allows the capture of its footprints on any video capturing hardware system with a high-speed camera.
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GaitScan can reliably analyze the video, and determine various characteristic parameters that are related to the pathophysiological conditions. These parameters include the stance time (paw on the belt), the swing time (paw in the air), total stride time, stride length, foot contact area size, foot pressure (measured using color intensity levels), body-foot spacing distance (distances between body and feet), foot spacing distances (distance between various feet), running speed, stride frequencies, foot coupling measures (in-phase or out-of-phase gait patterns of feet), and Sciatic Function Index related measures such as foot print placement rotation angle with body and toe spread factors (splay). Also calculated are brake time (early part of stance until the paw reaches maximum contact) and propel time (latter portion of stance when the paw is propelling the body. GaitScan also provides Whole Body Movement Information, including information about Body Rotation during walking, Body Shifting (lateral and longitudinal whole body movements) during walking. Base of support information including a new measure called Gait Angle is also provided.
System Requirements
- Windows-based PC (XP, 2000)
- Intel high-speed processor (Pentium 4 or better)
- Special videocard for real-time analysis
- Large HDD capacity for storage
- Good lighting conditions
- IR camera or red light for dark experiments
- Video-multiplexer for multi-camera feed
GaitScan outputs the detailed results of these parameters from analysis into Microsoft Excel files and gives statistical results to meet requirements in the research. Advanced functionalities such as batch mode analysis, group export, direct analysis of AVI captured files, and post-hoc conversion to compressed MPEG videos to save disk-space are available. A sample screenshot of the GaitScan software is shown below. The stride data is shown on the right for each foot individually. The results are updated as the analysis takes place.
GaitScan includes several new features – a) Ability to measure and display Pressure of a foot during contact with floor; b) Ability to automatically detect and delete outliers as well as portions of the video that are not worthy of analysis, and c) ability to view and export the Ink-Pad like image that shows the placement positions of the various feet.
- Complete Software Solution for BOTH Treadmills & Runways
- Now is capable of analyzing pressure during contact
- Analyzes 640x480 at 100 frames per sec
- Detects feet in animals with almost similar coat color like Agouti and White mice
- Works with rodents of all colors/sizes
- Stores video in MPEG with high-compression for optimal use of disk space
- Provides a Comprehensive set of gait measures
- Export Stance Graph (a timing diagram of the foot stances and the foot contact size information) and the Ink-Pad image showing the foot placement.