# Useful things to know about Detection Settings

Detection Settings are a set of criteria to track moving subjects. Detection Settings specify, for example, how different the subject is from the background in terms of gray scale or color values, and how many images per second will be analyzed among those available.

You can create multiple Detection settings in the same experiment. For example, you can have one set for detecting white animals, and another to detect dark ones.

tip For a DanioVision experiment, see the DanioVision DVOC-0041 - Reference Manual. To open this manual, on the Apps screen choose Noldus > EthoVision XT 19 Other Documentation.

To open the Detection Settings

Choose Setup > Detection Settings > choose one of the options.

By default, the following windows are displayed:

▪A. Detection Settings

▪B. Video, showing the current camera image or video file.

▪C. Playback Control

▪D. Detection Performance.

Click the Show/Hide button on the toolbar to view/hide windows, or change features shown, like the yellow blob representing the subject being detected.

Automated Setup

EthoVision XT has an Automated Setup function to apply the detection settings that work well in the most common scenarios. In most cases you will obtain good detection using the Automated Setup. In difficult situations, for example if video quality is bad, or if you have multiple animals with color markers that are not distinct enough, the Automated Setup may not give good enough detection. If this is the case, use the advanced settings to create the detection settings manually.

Detection Settings available in your EthoVision XT license

Which settings are available depends on your EthoVision XT license:

▪EthoVision XT Base version: In this version, you can track the center-point, the nose-point and the tail-base point of a single animal.

The base version also allows tracking of a color marker on a single animal; in this case the color marker is treated as the center-point of the animal.

▪Social Interaction Module: This add-on allows you to track two or more animals in one arena, either color-marked or unmarked. Use this module in combination to study social interactions in detail.

We recommend to only use Tracking from video files if you track the three body points in combination with the Social Interaction module.

▪Behavior Recognition Module: For detecting a number of behaviors automatically, including rearing, grooming and sniffing. In the Detection Settings, the Behavior Settings are enabled.