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ANY-maze is now significantly faster
 Analysis has been speeded up considerably and can now take as little as four seconds to analyse 24 hours of tracking data. Furthermore formatting and display of results in the Data page spreadsheet, even when showing millions of cells, is now substantially quicker.
Operating modes make ANY-maze even for flexible
- Video tracking mode is the classic mode of ANY-maze and includes all functionality.
- Freezing detection only mode doesn't track animals but rather just detects when they're freezing.
- No tracking mode doesn't track animals but allows you to observe their behaviour in the video picture and score it with the keyboard.
- No video mode can be used to automate apparatus such as an operant chamber, which doesn't require you to view the animal at all.
Adding additional scoring to tests
 ANY-maze has always allowed you to score behaviours using the keyboard, but now it takes this ability to the next level by allowing you to repeatedly review a test's video to add additional scoring. This is especially useful if you want to score a wide range of behaviours as it mean you can focus on just one or two behaviours on each review rather than having to try to score them all simultaneously.
Freezing detection
 ANY-maze's new video-based freezing detection works independently of the tracking system and is extremely sensitive to even the smallest movements of the animal, while being largely immune to image noise.
This new feature, when used with the ANY-maze interface, makes ANY-maze especially suitable for automating fear conditioning tests.
The Test data report
 The new Test data report uses a spreadsheet format to show the chronological sequence of everything that occurred during a test. This report can, for example, show the x, y coordinate of every position of the animal during the test.
But it can do much more, it can show when the animal entered or exited zones, how far the animal was from a zone , when keys were pressed, when input and output devices were triggered... in fact there are over 60 different options in all. And the spreadsheet format makes it easy to copy and paste this data directly into other programs such as Microsoft Excel.
The ANY-maze interface
 The new ANY-maze interface, known as AMi, has been designed specifically for use with ANY-maze and makes it easier than ever to sense and control external devices during tests.
AMi integrates directly into the ANY-maze software and allows it to sense the state of push buttons, photo-beams, touch switches, rotary encoders, temperature sensors, etc; to control shockers, pellet dispensers, syringe pumps, motors, lights, buzzers, etc; to play sounds or white noise at any volume... the features go on and on.
Occupancy plots
 Occupancy plots are a new way to visualise test tracking that highlights the areas in which the animal the animal spent the most time during a test. Occupancy plots are particularly useful for visualising the results of long duration tests and for viewing the results of water-maze probe trials. These plots can be created for individual tests as well as for groups of animals.
ANY-maze plug-ins
 ANY-maze now supports plug-ins - small programs which can be used to add new analysis to ANY-maze. For example, ANY-maze does not detect "darting" behaviour, but a plug-in could be written which would do this.
Another use for plug-ins is to transfer ANY-maze tracking data to other programs in real-time - for example, a plug-in could be used to synchronise data from ANY-maze and an electrophysiology recording system. Full documentation and the source code of an example plug-in are provided in the ANY-maze help.
Ready for the future
 Version 4.70 of ANY-maze takes full advantage of the advanced features available in the latest processors from Intel, including the new Core i7 family as well as being compatible with Microsoft's new Windows 7.
Other new features and enhancements
- A new protocol element, Virtual switches, allows you to detect when a value is above, below or between certain values.
- You can now define arbitrary time periods in the protocol and view results for each one or analyse results between them.
- Trials can now be set to start automatically, for example, a certain time after the previous trial ended or at a specific time of day.
- The Data page can now optionally show repeated trials, and or time periods, in columns, making transfer to SPSS simpler.
- A new and improved algorithm for the suppression of water-maze reflections has been included.
- ANY-maze format video files can now be converted to standard format .avi video files from within ANY-maze.
- New Actions allow you to run other programs, send e-mails or even send SMS messages when an event occurs during a test.
- ANY-maze can now capture large format and/or high frame rate video (above 30 frames per second) by using cameras which support FireWire DCAM Format 7.
- All National Instruments IMAQ versions from 3.0 and above are now supported.
- ANY-maze format videos now record a time-stamp which can optionally be displayed during video playback.
- When tracking from video, options are now available to automatically rewind and/or start the video when the test is started.
- ANY-maze now supports the AirClick, a low cost, radio frequency, remote control which can be used to start or stop tests in up to 5 pieces of apparatus independently.
- A new Event of "Waiting to start test" has been included. This can be used to trigger actions that prepare I/O devices for a test.
- It is now possible to suppress the confirmation message displayed when a test is ended manually.
- Times can now be specified with units - for example, 4min or 4.5h
- All known issues in versions 4.50 and 4.60 have been resolved.
Download ANY-maze version 4.70
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