Ugo Basile IR transparent mazes: highest contrast for the best video-tracking performance

Mazes are the most common devices used in behavioural studies, in particular in the fields of activity, anxiety and stress, memory and learning, depression.

The many variations and modifications of mazes, heart of behavioral research, make it possible to measure complex rodent behavior and give researchers from any part of the world the opportunity to discuss and compare their hypotheses and experimental findings.

Ugo Basile mazes provide optimal results with video-tracking software thanks to their very high contrast and non reflective surface. The best contrast is achieved through two approached the user can choose:

• Grey mat colour for dark and light animals
• Infra-Red back-lit illumination thanks to the IR-transparent floor and the IR-emitter

IR-mazes are the perfect solution for:

• Scientists that are looking for better videotracking performance: IR illumination from below delivers the best contrast for optimal video-tracking.
• Scientists that are careful about the ambient light, which is often difficult to control and can cause flickering, compromising the performance of video-tracking.
• Scientists that need to run experiments in the darkness to eliminate possible cues or need to work in alternate light.
• Novel Object Recognition (NOR), a task used to evaluate memory and cognition, where the best possible contrast is needed in order not to confuse head, center and tail.
  

Any other application that requires a super-accurate contour of the animal will benefit from back lit IR illumination offered by LUX Infrared Illuminator.

The LUX IR illuminator allows illumination from below for all the Ugo Basile IR mazes, which are made of an IR translucent plastic. This has the double advantage of:

• making experiments in the darkness easy;
• enhancing the contrast for better detection, no matter the animal color.

LUX IR Illuminator is available in 3 sizes: 70x70 cm, 60x80 cm, 100x100 cm.

It guarantees a uniform illumination and incorporates IR light intensity knob. These sizes allow all Ugo Basile mazes to be positioned over the LUX and run extremely high-contrast video-tracking experiments.

• Animal comfort: all the mazes surface textures are selected for rodent comfort.
• Minimal reflections.
• Best contrast between animal and background.
• Assembling, disassembling and cleaning.